AGP Executive Report
Last update: 5 hours agoSaudi SME finance: Monsha’at and STC Bank signed a cooperation deal worth up to $1.33bn to expand Sharia-compliant digital financing for SMEs, covering working capital, equipment, POS receivables, e-commerce, and trade finance. MENA fintech funding: Paymob secured a $35m pre-Series C co-led by Mubadala and EBRD to accelerate payments acceptance across MENA and build SME-focused tools for agentic commerce. Saudi lending gap: A report says Saudi SME credit hit about SAR467.7bn ($124.5bn) in 2025, but SME lending is still only 11.3% of total bank lending versus a Vision 2030 target of 20%, leaving a financing gap of more than SAR300bn. Logistics for trade: DHL Express launched a new weekly Bahrain–South Africa freighter route, boosting intra-regional connectivity and cross-border e-commerce capacity. Energy squeeze on small operators: Rising fuel and diesel costs are pressuring small businesses, with coverage highlighting how surcharges and higher transport bills are feeding into everyday prices. Hospitality cost pressure: Hilton unveiled an energy-focused Home2 Suites prototype aimed at cutting utility costs for owners as energy bills squeeze hotel margins.
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