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September 29, 2026Source: BlackRock

BlackRock Report Details China’s Move Up Advanced Manufacturing and AI Value Chain

The BlackRock Investment Institute reported that China is increasingly competing on quality rather than pure scale across advanced manufacturing and technology. In 2025, China represented 14.8% of global merchandise exports while its import share dropped to 9.8% amid deeper domestic supply integration. BlackRock maintained a neutral stance on broader Chinese equities while highlighting selective opportunities in physical AI and tech hardware.

China–UAE News

September 29, 2026Source: TradingView

Luckin Coffee Weighs Gulf Expansion Following Backing From Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala

Luckin Coffee is considering entering Persian Gulf markets to drive international growth beyond China, according to company leadership. The strategic push follows a $1 billion joint transaction involving Abu Dhabi sovereign investor Mubadala Investment Company and Luckin's controlling shareholder Centurium Capital. Concurrently, the chain marked an overseas milestone by opening its 100th store in Singapore.

Industry News

September 29, 2026Source: Gulf Business

QatarEnergy Extends LNG Force Majeure to Late 2026 Amid Hormuz Disruption

State-owned QatarEnergy has extended force majeure notices on liquefied natural gas deliveries to Italian utility Edison and Asian buyers due to continued transit disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Deliveries to Edison are suspended until early December, while Asian clients in Bangladesh and Pakistan face cancellations through November. Data from ICIS shows Qatari LNG exports fell to 18 cargoes through end-August 2026, compared to 509 in the same period last year.

Industry News

September 29, 2026Source: Oil & Gas Middle East

Middle East to China VLCC Freight Rates Surpass $1.2 Million Daily

Daily earnings for Very Large Crude Carriers on the Arabian Gulf to China route exceeded $1.2 million per day in late September 2026. According to the Baltic Exchange, round-trip earnings for shipments from Ras Tanura to Ningbo hit $1,235,414 a day amid shipping bottlenecks near the Strait of Hormuz. LSEG data showed spot rates reached an absolute high of $1.27 million on September 21.