Middle East

Microsoft announced a $26.2 billion deal on Monday to acquire professional social platform LinkedIn for $196 per share.

The Bahrain Airport project is a $1 billion project that aims to host 27 million passengers a year. Other projects, like the Riyadh Metro, extending 176 kilometres of rail throughout the largest city in Saudi Arabia, present growth opportunities that will last a decade or more.

Showing no sign of slowing down, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars  has reported record breaking results for the first half of 2014 with a 33% increase in worldwide car sales. 

China broke away from the US for the first time to take the lead for volume, with Europe showing the fastest growth with a 60% increase in sales. Asia has also performed well with 40% gains. With the predicable middle eastern market pushing 30% increases in sales.

Proudly boasting a free and thriving economy, Kuwait stands tall amongst the top twenty richest nations on the planet. Among a number of other achievements, the Middle Eastern country has developed one of the largest shipping industries in the Arabian Gulf, within which exists Al Rashed International Shipping Company, one of, if not the leading player in the Kuwaiti marine sector.

By beating off rival bids from Brazil, Turkey and Russia, Dubai will become the first Middle Eastern city to hold the expo, which attracts hundreds of countries every five years to show off the latest achievements in architecture and technology.

Historically known for its large hydrocarbon wealth, which gives it one of the highest GDPs per capita in the world, the UAE’s decision in recent years to diversify its economic plans marked an important shift in the growth of the GCC country. It has subsequently proven to be a hugely successful move, with the country’s non-oil and gas GDP outstripping that attributed to the energy sector, accounting for 64 percent of its total GDP.

The construction of a metro system for the capital Riyadh will cost a total of $22 billion and will begin early next year. The government expects trains to be running along its six lines by 2019.

The president of the Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) Ibrahim bin Mohammed al Sultan said the Riyadh Public Transport Project will be "a major driver of employment and economic development". He called it a "cornerstone" that would "enhance the quality of life" for Riyadh's population of nearly six million.

Qatar possesses what is the third-largest reserve of all known natural gas on the planet, behind only Russia and Iran. According to figures taken in January 2011 reserves in the state were measured at approximately 896 trillion cubic feet. This means that it contains as much as 14 percent of the world’s known natural gas.

Established in 1984, and headquartered in Doha, Qatargas is recognised today as being the largest LNG producing company in the world, with an annual LNG production capacity of 42 million tonnes per annum (MTA).