Fergana Region Discussed Water Infrastructure Development Projects with Belarusian Company

Saudi Arabia has officially completed the acquisition of the major gaming company Electronic Arts (EA) for a substantial sum of $55 billion. Several groups were involved in the deal, including the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.

The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund had announced official negotiations to purchase EA a year ago, in September 2025. This gaming giant is known for titles such as FIFA, Mass Effect Trilogy, Dead Space, and The Sims.

According to the BBC, in addition to the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, investors included Affinity Partners, led by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, and Silver Lake. This means that EA will become a fully private company and will cease trading on the stock exchange.

This move has sparked discussions and speculation regarding EA's future, as concerns have arisen about potential censorship due to Saudi Arabia's stricter laws and the company's transition to private ownership. Comments included opinions such as: 'EA has moved to Saudi Arabia. Let's see if this leads to good game development' and 'How many games will they have to sell before they break even?'

Furthermore, remarks were made about microtransactions and the problematic nature of the deal, although some noted that the company already had issues.

According to Engadget, although this takeover is considered the largest in history, EA currently has a debt of $20 billion that it must repay within a certain timeframe.

Amid growing global tensions caused by conflicts in the Middle East and concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, supply chains in many countries worldwide have been severely affected. The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Santash Malhotra, commented on the results of the monetary policy meeting, noting that despite all difficulties, the global economy shows signs of improvement, and the Indian economy is demonstrating impressive results.

The RBI also increased its forecast for India's GDP growth for the fiscal year 2027. Santash Malhotra stated that the Indian economy performed stronger in the first quarter than expected, and domestic economic activity remains resilient. GDP growth is supported by consistently strengthening demand, particularly noticeable in the manufacturing and services sectors.

According to high-frequency data, domestic economic activity was strong in the first quarter, and consumption increased. The central bank presented an updated economic growth forecast for the fiscal year 2026-27. According to Santash Malhotra, the GDP growth forecast for FY27 was raised from 6.6% to 6.7%. The forecast for the first quarter was 7%, while the second quarter forecast was adjusted from 6.3% to 6.4%.

Nevertheless, the RBI acknowledged that growth prospects remain uncertain due to monsoon season-related uncertainties, which could lead to a slight slowdown in growth rates in FY27. However, Indian economic growth remains robust.

SBI Forecasts Align with RBI Estimates

A study published by SBI last week demonstrated forecasts regarding India's GDP growth that were similar to the estimates presented by the RBI. SBI analysts emphasized the likelihood of maintaining the refinancing rate unchanged at the RBI Monetary Policy Committee meeting, and also pointed out that the Indian economy grew faster than expected in the April-June quarter. The SBI report suggested that GDP growth in the first quarter of fiscal year 2027 would exceed 7%, but due to stable inflation, external uncertainties, and currency pressure, the most likely scenario for the central bank is the maintenance of current conditions.

Refinancing Rate Remains Unchanged

At the MPC meeting held from August 3 to 5, the Reserve Bank decided to maintain a 'neutral' policy stance. Santash Malhotra announced that the repo rate was not changed and remained at 5.25%. The central bank noted that military actions in the Middle East are causing market volatility and weakening sentiment, which in turn will affect the slowdown in global growth. Furthermore, the RBI Governor mentioned trade uncertainty related to US Tariffs.