GDP & Growth
Latest news, analysis, and updates on GDP & Growth from A47 News.
7 stories in Economy · Updated live
Abu Dhabi Commits AED 872 Million to Seven-Bridge Network Linking Ramhan and Jubail Islands to E12 Highway
On October 27, 2026, the Department of Municipalities and Transport announced a seven-bridge interchange project connecting Ramhan and Jubail Islands to the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Highway (E12) in Abu Dhabi, with advanced construction already underway. The project is driven by the need to improve island road accessibility, increase traffic capacity, and align transport infrastructure with the emirate's urban and economic expansion, following the earlier opening of two bridges linking Al Reem Island to the same highway. The Ramhan Island bridge network is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2027, and the infrastructure is likely to unlock new development zones and reinforce Abu Dhabi's integrated island connectivity strategy.
South Korea Q3 2026 GDP Expands 3.4 Percent Year-on-Year on AI Semiconductor Demand
South Korea's economy grew 3.4 percent year-on-year and 1.0 percent quarter-on-quarter in the third quarter of 2026, according to Bank of Korea advance estimates released October 27, 2026. The expansion was triggered by surging semiconductor exports from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix amid global AI chip demand, with exports up 2.3 percent quarter-on-quarter even as private consumption contracted 0.2 percent. The trajectory points toward the country's strongest annual expansion since 2011, with Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il projecting 3.4-3.6 percent full-year growth and potential upward revisions if fourth-quarter momentum holds.
Apollo Economist Finds No Measurable AI Payoff Outside Magnificent Seven Tech Firms
Apollo Global Management chief economist Torsten Slok published analysis on October 24, 2026 showing that revenue per worker and profit margins are rising only for the Magnificent Seven while remaining flat for the remaining 493 S&P 500 companies. The divergence is occurring as mainstream firms treat AI token spending as a cost center and pull back, while VC-backed entities keep increasing consumption. The outlook is that broad macroeconomic productivity gains will stay limited unless advanced AI adoption spreads beyond concentrated technology leaders.
Goldman Sachs and Apollo Economists Flag Peak in AI Capex Growth Impulse With Gains Confined to Tech Sector
On October 24 and 26, 2026, Apollo's Torsten Slok and Goldman Sachs' Jan Hatzius published analyses showing AI-related capital expenditure of roughly $600 billion has added only 0.1 percentage points to recent U.S. GDP growth while profit and productivity gains remain concentrated in the Magnificent 7. The shift follows the expectation that AI investment as a share of GDP will crest in Q4 2026 or early 2027, with imported hardware limiting domestic output effects and S&P 493 revenue per worker and margins remaining flat. The likely next phase is a slowdown in the growth support provided by AI capex and continued investor scrutiny of whether productivity gains will broaden beyond technology firms.
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Abu Dhabi Commits AED 872 Million to Seven-Bridge Network Linking Ramhan and Jubail Islands to E12 Highway
On October 27, 2026, the Department of Municipalities and Transport announced a seven-bridge interchange project connecting Ramhan and Jubail Islands to the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Highway (E12) in Abu Dhabi, with advanced construction already underway. The project is driven by the need to improve island road accessibility, increase traffic capacity, and align transport infrastructure with the emirate's urban and economic expansion, following the earlier opening of two bridges linking Al Reem Island to the same highway. The Ramhan Island bridge network is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2027, and the infrastructure is likely to unlock new development zones and reinforce Abu Dhabi's integrated island connectivity strategy.
South Korea Q3 2026 GDP Expands 3.4 Percent Year-on-Year on AI Semiconductor Demand
South Korea's economy grew 3.4 percent year-on-year and 1.0 percent quarter-on-quarter in the third quarter of 2026, according to Bank of Korea advance estimates released October 27, 2026. The expansion was triggered by surging semiconductor exports from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix amid global AI chip demand, with exports up 2.3 percent quarter-on-quarter even as private consumption contracted 0.2 percent. The trajectory points toward the country's strongest annual expansion since 2011, with Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il projecting 3.4-3.6 percent full-year growth and potential upward revisions if fourth-quarter momentum holds.
Apollo Economist Finds No Measurable AI Payoff Outside Magnificent Seven Tech Firms
Apollo Global Management chief economist Torsten Slok published analysis on October 24, 2026 showing that revenue per worker and profit margins are rising only for the Magnificent Seven while remaining flat for the remaining 493 S&P 500 companies. The divergence is occurring as mainstream firms treat AI token spending as a cost center and pull back, while VC-backed entities keep increasing consumption. The outlook is that broad macroeconomic productivity gains will stay limited unless advanced AI adoption spreads beyond concentrated technology leaders.
Goldman Sachs and Apollo Economists Flag Peak in AI Capex Growth Impulse With Gains Confined to Tech Sector
On October 24 and 26, 2026, Apollo's Torsten Slok and Goldman Sachs' Jan Hatzius published analyses showing AI-related capital expenditure of roughly $600 billion has added only 0.1 percentage points to recent U.S. GDP growth while profit and productivity gains remain concentrated in the Magnificent 7. The shift follows the expectation that AI investment as a share of GDP will crest in Q4 2026 or early 2027, with imported hardware limiting domestic output effects and S&P 493 revenue per worker and margins remaining flat. The likely next phase is a slowdown in the growth support provided by AI capex and continued investor scrutiny of whether productivity gains will broaden beyond technology firms.