Saudi Arabia Delays Flagship Investment Summit to 2027 After Houthi Attacks

Posted on 10/20/2026
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Saudi Arabia moves its flagship FII investment summit to 2027 as Houthi attacks disrupt travel and put the kingdom’s investment ambitions under scrutiny. Riyadh’s airport limits traffic following the attacks, adding to the challenges facing the gathering.
Asian shares decline despite a recovery in US technology stocks. Renewed buying in chipmakers lifts the Nasdaq after the recent selloff and reduces demand for Treasuries as a haven. Oil fluctuates near a five-month peak, with Brent around $110 as Middle East risks and uncertainty over diesel supplies persist. Natixis Emerging Asia Senior Economist Trinh Nguyen tells Horizons that higher interest rates will widen differences in market performance.
In an exclusive Bloomberg interview, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright says Washington is authorizing sales of sanctioned tankers so they can transport non-sanctioned oil. He estimates that roughly 1,600 ships operate in the dark fleet and stresses that sanctions on the fleet are not being lifted. Wright also argues that high prices can set in motion the changes needed to bring them down.
Israel approaches its October 27 election with polls indicating that 60% of Israelis do not trust Benjamin Netanyahu. Gadi Eisenkot leads Netanyahu in most surveys.
Friedrich Merz tells Bloomberg in an exclusive interview that Europe is underestimating Russia’s ambitions. He argues that Moscow’s objectives extend beyond Ukrainian territory to undermining Europe’s political order.
Unrest in France begins to ease after looting, fires and thousands of arrests. Authorities strengthen their response, introducing an 8 p.m. curfew in northern cities while acknowledging failures in law enforcement. The protests add another obstacle to Emmanuel Macron’s fiscal agenda. Separately, Macron meets the UAE president in Abu Dhabi.
Australia plans legal action against Facebook and TikTok over alleged violations of its social-media restrictions. In AI, Nscale and Anthropic are discussing a potential $45 billion agreement.
Cameroon’s Eurobond yields rise after Fitch lowers its long-term foreign-currency rating from B to B-. The agency highlights growing financing pressures without an IMF programme, alongside the risk of a disorderly political transition given the absence of a clear successor to President Biya.
Thakher Development completes a $533 million transaction with Indonesia’s Danantara, making its Thakher Makkah project accessible to foreign investors for the first time. The developer’s CEO says demand in Mecca rests on faith rather than economic cycles.
Saudi women’s football continues to attract interest, with plans to bring more international talent into the kingdom. The ambitions build on the women’s Premier League, which began in 2022. Guests includes Trinh Nguyen, Natixis Emerging Asia Senior Economist and Faisal Shaker, Thakher Development CEO.



Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:04:43 - Trinh Nguyen, Natixis Emerging Asia Senior Economist

00:11:28 - Saudi Arabia Postpones Flagship FII Summit

00:14:35 - Israel Prepares for October 27 Elections

00:19:15 - Cameroon Eurobond Yields Rise After Fitch Downgrade

00:27:00 - Chris Wright, US Energy Secretary

00:30:00 - Faisal Shaker, Thakher Development CEO

00:35:45 - Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor

00:37:28 - France Toughens Protest Response, Imposes Curfew

00:43:00 - The Rise of Saudi Women’s Football

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