The Middle East

The Saudi government has embarked on an ambitious spending programme that looks set to keep the local construction industry busy for years. In all facets of the sector, from large-scale infrastructure projects to new hospitals and schools, the slate of work is likely to expand in the coming years.

Until recently, local developers and city planners viewed urban expansion along horizontal rather than vertical lines. Before the completion of Riyadh’s Al Faisaliyah Centre in 2000, no building in the Kingdom topped 200 metres. Backed by a bullish economy and a surge of confidence following government spending on housing, infrastructure, health...

While most of the attention on Saudi Arabia’s property market focuses on the residential segment, the country’s retail real estate sector is quietly presenting itself as an attractive alternative. Indeed, many of the factors that have made the residential sector a widely discussed opportunity also apply to retail development. A burgeoning...

When railways are mentioned in relation to Saudi Arabia, the Hejaz railway is what most often comes to mind. The line was introduced in the 19th century linking Medina to Damascus, and although sections still run in Jordan and Syria, the only remnants of it in Saudi Arabia are tourist attractions featuring stations, rolling...

Steel producers in the Kingdom have good reason to feel bullish about the sector. According to a September 2012 report by RNCOS, an industry research firm, growth in local steel consumption exceeded 10% in 2011, while between 2012 and 2015 growth is expected to accelerate to a compound annual 19.5%. The potential for growth in...