Mashreq CEO: ‘UAE Banks Were Wrong’

Exclusive: Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair blamed a greed culture and a desire for growth for lurching the UAE banks into crisis.

UAE Plans Multiple Entry Visa Permit

The country plans to introduce multiple entry visas for cruise tourists by September this year.

Flydubai Gets $172m Financing

The amount, secured from a unit of Standard Chartered Bank, will be used to buy two new aircraft.

Saudia Catering Unit To Launch IPO

Saudi Arabian Airlines has got approval to list 30 per cent of its catering unit on the Kingdom’s stock exchange.

Bahrain Rents Slump

Residential rents in some areas have fallen to 2005/ 2006 levels, and occupancy levels have reached as low as 30 per cent.

JAFZA To Repay $2bn Sukuk Early

A majority of JAFZA’s stakeholders have consented to the early redemption of the Sukuk, due in November.

Kingdom Holding Sells $200m Hotel

Prince Alwaleed’s Kingdom Holding Company will retain its stake in the Fairmont San Francisco Hotel.

Omani Bank IPO Attracts $1.77bn

Bank Nizwa, the country’s first Islamic bank, will be listed on the Muscat Securities Market on June 12.

UAE Gives Up Beef With French

Imported meat ban is lifted as UAE’s Ministry of Environment and Water signs new agreement.

UAE’s Global Trade Ranking Drops

The country is ranked 19th in the World Economic Forum’s Global Enabling Trade Report this year.

HSBC’s Oman Merger Halted

Trading shares of Oman International Bank also stopped due to $5.20 million claim.

Nationals Snap Up Qatar Property

Real estate projects in Qatar are not yet seeing an interest from global investors, say industry experts.

Bahrain To Issue $1.25bn Bond

The Gulf state plans to issue the bond in the second or third week of June, a central bank official said.

Etisalat To Cut Rates By 30%

UAE telecoms operator Etisalat will reduce international call tariffs from the second half of 2012.

Saudi Signs $3bn BAE Deal

The Kingdom’s defence ministry will be buying military aircraft from UK defence company BAE.

Eurozone Crisis Is Worst Global Risk

The OECD has warned that a worsening of the crisis could have “serious consequences” for the global economy.

Emirates NBD Appoints CEO

Mohammad Kamran will head up two of Emirates NBD’s subsidiaries including Capital Limited.

Qatar’s Property Market Stabilises

As Cityscape Qatar begins, experts say that despite oversupply in the market, demand is catching up.

Facebook To Open Dubai Office

The social network eyes regional advertisers as a new source of investment following the firm’s IPO last week.

Revealed: Fantasy Arab Football Team

Gulf Business takes a look at several Arab-funded football clubs and picks a fantasy team purely of Arabian funding.

KSA Shielded From Eurozone Crisis

Saudi Arabia’s spending is on track as the Kingdom has seen limited impact from the Eurozone fallout.

TAQA Eyes Turkey Investments

The Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) is studying energy investments in Turkey.

New Guidelines For Saudi Journalists

Journalists in the Kingdom have to be accredited by the Saudi Journalists Association, the Cabinet has said.

US Firm Plans 500 Hires In Abu Dhabi

Digital Domain Media Group is opening up an animation and visual effects studio in Abu Dhabi’s twofour54.

Dubai Duty Free Ups Loan To $1.5bn

The airport retailer has increased the size of its loan facility because of high demand, an official has said.

DIFCI $1bn Loan Near

DIFC Investments close in on a $1 billion dollar loan to refinance an upcoming sukuk maturing in June.

10 Reasons Why Dubai Is Back

Gulf Business rounds up ten indicators that show that the emirate is back on the growth trajectory.

Abu Dhabi Picks Banks For Merger

Four banks have been chosen as advisors for the proposed merger been Aldar and Sorouh, according to sources.

DIB Releases New Sukuk

A deal for a new Islamic bond from DIB is being arranged by a host of local and global banks.

Mashreq: ‘Forget The Glory Years’

Exclusive: Al Ghurair says UAE will not see pre-2008 profits for the foreseeable future.