UAE Financial Services: Edenred UAE received in-principle approval from the Central Bank of the UAE to operate as a licensed Stored Value Facility provider, a step toward formal SVF licensing for its payroll-linked salary card ecosystem. Saudi Retail & Consumer Spending: Saudi POS spending jumped about 33% week-on-week to SR16.31bn (267.1m transactions) in late July/early August, with food and beverages leading. Iraq Public Services Pressure: Iraq’s oil export disruption tied to Strait of Hormuz closures is reportedly delaying July salaries for public employees, with officials warning payments may shift to later cycles. Kurdistan Automotive Push: China proposed an automotive assembly hub in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region to import parts and assemble Chinese car brands, aiming to create hundreds of jobs. Middle East Energy Pricing & Supply Chains: ADNOC will change crude pricing from Nov 1, moving to a Platts Dubai-linked method to better reflect market conditions for Asian buyers. Global Payments Impact: Global Payments cut full-year forecasts, citing Middle East conflict-driven travel and cross-border transaction softness. Consumer Retail Signal (UK): Next raised its profit outlook again after heatwave-driven clothing demand, including “pent-up” sales linked to the Middle East and northern Europe. Logistics & Trade: DHL said geopolitical uncertainty is driving higher fuel, insurance and rerouting costs, while customers diversify production. EV & Mobility: Etihad and Africa World Airlines signed an MoU for codeshare/interline, cargo cooperation and loyalty links between Abu Dhabi and West Africa.