Samsung

Middle East – October 25, 2026 -- Spot helium prices have doubled after Iranian strikes hit Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, exposing semiconductor fabs to a materials shortage that extends well beyond oil.

Qatar produced roughly one-third of the world's helium as a byproduct of LNG processing. QatarEnergy has declared force majeure, and repairs are estimated at three to five years.

Stranded cryogenic containers put a 35-to-48-day clock on Asian fabs

Roughly 200 specialised cryogenic containers are stranded near the Strait of Hormuz. They keep helium liquid for only 35 to 48 days before it warms and escapes. The last scheduled shipments to Asian fabs are arriving now.

September 28, 2026 – Kuwait City – -- HONOR grew smartphone shipments 35% year on year in the Middle East during the first half of 2026, even as the overall regional market contracted 13%, according to Omdia data cited by the company. The brand was the only major vendor in the region to post growth in the period, moving into second place in the market after posting 73% growth in the first quarter alone.

HONOR captures 24% share of the $300-500 price band

The gains were concentrated in the mid-to-high-end segment. HONOR took a 24% share of the $300-500 price band in the first quarter of 2026, up 130% year on year, narrowing the gap with Samsung in that category. The HONOR X9d, positioned on durability and battery life, became a top seller in both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, while the HONOR 600 Series delivered double-digit growth in what the company calls the accessible flagship segment.