The UAE Special Olympics women's unified volleyball team won the gold medal and World Cup after beating Ukraine 2-0 in the final of a tournament held in Poland with 16 teams participating.

In 2025, gold surged past $4,000 per ounce, with investors flocking to gold as a safe haven amid a weakening dollar and geopolitical fears, despite a booming stock market driven by artificial intelligence.

Investors concerned about the future of the dollar and major currencies are buying gold and Bitcoin, with gold prices hitting record highs following Jerome Powell's announcement of planned interest rate cuts.

The foreign exchange market structure is evolving with greater involvement of non-bank financial institutions in currency risk management. This market is among the largest and most liquid globally, with about $10 trillion traded daily. Rising economic uncertainty increases volatility and liquidity pressures in the FX market.

Wall Street's major indexes rose after a series of gains as investors await Federal Reserve comments on interest rates. The Dow Jones saw a slight increase, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq rose amid profit-taking concerns in tech stocks.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva expects global public debt to surpass 100% of global GDP by 2029, driven by advanced and emerging economies. She warns of rising borrowing costs and reduced government capacity to mitigate economic shocks.

Sources familiar with the Sharm El-Sheikh negotiations told CNN that a ceasefire agreement in Gaza could be reached within 48 hours, with hostage releases expected early next week. The talks involve multiple countries and Hamas.

Egyptian markets await a decision on fuel price adjustments next week amid expectations of a new increase not exceeding 10%. Talks with the IMF will review progress on the $8 billion Extended Fund Facility program.

Nasdaq Dubai has welcomed Emirates Islamic Bank’s world-first $500 million sustainability-linked sukuk issuance, highlighting the bank’s leadership in sustainable Islamic finance and support for the UAE’s national sustainability agenda.

The Financial Academy Forum was launched in Riyadh, announcing five strategic initiatives aimed at boosting Saudi Arabia’s leadership as a global financial hub, with participation from elite international financial and media institutions.