UAE Business Pulse.

Issue 07 · 14–20 September 2026

Money gets dearer, the deadline gets closer, and Abu Dhabi closes the gap

The Federal Reserve raises by 25 basis points and the Central Bank lifts the Base Rate to 3.90 per cent from 17 September. Ten days remain on the corporate tax return for 31 December 2025 year ends, and nil tax is still not nil filing. The Central Bank regularisation period under Federal Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025 closed on 15 September, with penalties running from AED 50,000. Dubai sells 18.86 per cent fewer homes for 6.07 per cent less money at AED 6.5 billion. Abu Dhabi climbs eight places to 13th in the Global Financial Centres Index while Dubai slips two to ninth. Fujairah joins the rail network with a UN Locode inland, Brent closes above 100 dollars for a third week, Arabian Travel Market moves to September, four hotel groups hold their pipelines through a 30 per cent revenue fall, and regional ransomware reaches 357 cases. Ten developments with our advisory perspective on each.

23 min read · Banking · Corporate tax · Compliance · Property · Financial centres · Trade · Economy