GCC countries scored 66.9 in the 2026 Economic Freedom Index, beating the global 59.9 average as the UAE, Qatar and Oman led the bloc overall.

CBUAE kept the UAE base rate at 3.65% after the Federal Reserve held rates steady, leaving the overnight liquidity framework unchanged.

South Korea major retailers posted a 5.6% March sales gain, with online channels taking a bigger share of consumer spending in the country.