Chief Investment Strategist
Note: This content is marketing material.
President Donald Trump’s May 2025 Middle East visit has unleashed a flurry of mega-deals, aimed at deepening U.S. trade ties, correcting trade imbalances, and reinforcing America’s leadership in defense and technology exports. From Boeing aircraft to Nvidia’s AI chips, the trip wasn’t just about diplomacy—it was a global sales pitch. And investors are taking notice.
The Gulf is fast becoming a global AI and cloud hub—with sovereign AI campuses, massive chip import deals, and sovereign cloud infrastructure. U.S. tech giants like Nvidia, Microsoft, Oracle, Amazon, and Palantir are leading the charge.
Widebody jet orders from Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia exceeded $115B, signaling a powerful post-COVID recovery in long-haul travel and fleet upgrades.
Over $180B in defense deals were announced or reaffirmed, focused on drones, missile systems, and aircraft—highlighting renewed regional security priorities.
The Gulf’s energy push spans LNG terminals in Qatar, oil and gas expansions in UAE, and clean energy investments in nuclear and critical minerals.
These aren’t just business deals—they’re strategic alignments. The U.S.-Gulf nexus is attracting long-cycle capital into sectors favored by policy and national interest.
The U.S. is reviewing whether to allow over 1 million advanced Nvidia chips to be exported to the UAE. Dual-use concerns (civil vs military applications) could lead to restrictions or deal cancellations.
While chipmakers may divert inventory from restricted markets like China to fulfill Gulf orders (e.g. UAE, Saudi), production capacity remains tight, and lead times on advanced GPUs are still long. Defense hardware (e.g. drones, aircraft parts, radar systems) faces even longer cycles, constrained by specialized components, skilled labor, and export compliance. LNG facilities, and energy infrastructure involve complex, multi-year timelines. These projects face risks from regulatory delays, cost inflation, or shifting local priorities.
Export approvals, tech sharing, and defense licenses granted under current political conditions could be reversed or frozen under future U.S. administrations or geopolitical shifts.
Many U.S. firms are now deeply tied to Gulf sovereign funds or state-owned enterprises (PIF, ADNOC, G42). This may limit flexibility or pose reputational risk if regional dynamics shift.
Companies like Nvidia, Supermicro, and others have rallied strongly on AI optimism. Elevated expectations may be hard to meet if deal execution lags.
The Middle East remains a dynamic, but complex, region. Rising tensions (e.g. Iran, Israel-Gaza, Red Sea disruptions) could delay or derail cross-border deals and supply chains.
Quarterly Outlook
Global Head of Macro Strategy
Quarterly Outlook
Chief Investment Strategist
Quarterly Outlook
Global Head of Investment Strategy
Quarterly Outlook
Head of Commodity Strategy
Quarterly Outlook
Global Head of Macro Strategy
Quarterly Outlook
Chief Investment Strategist
Quarterly Outlook
Chief Investment Strategist
Quarterly Outlook
Head of Commodity Strategy
Quarterly Outlook
Global Head of Macro Strategy
Quarterly Outlook
Head of Fixed Income Strategy