Mashreq Q4 Net Profit Up 28%, Eyes Citigroup’s Egypt Retail Business

The bank’s profit was boosted by strong performance in operating income.

Emirates NBD Q4 Profit Jumps 82%, Reclassifies Dubai World Loans

The bank said its 2014 balance sheet was strengthened by its reclassification of its exposure to Dubai World, as performing.

Lower Oil Prices Can Help Airlines Post “Unprecedented Profits” – Emirates Head

Tim Clark says airline industry will reap the benefits of lower oil prices in 2015.

SABIC Has No Plan For New Bonds In 2015 But May Refinance Loans

The company is considering refinancing two loans that fall due in June and November, an official said.

SABIC Sales Drop 10% As Profits Plunge – CEO

SABIC’s chief executive Mohamed al-Mady told reporters that the outlook for 2015 was unpredictable and contingent on oil prices.

Dubai Residential, Hotel Real Estate Markets Peaking -JLL

Dubai’s residential sector is likely to remain subdued over the next 12 months with the market absorb 25,000 extra units in 2015.

Saudi’s Al Khodari Posts Five-Fold Q4 Net Profit Hike, Project Pipeline Grows

The company made a profit of SAR45.6 million ($12.2 million) in the last quarter of 2014.

Oil Slump Slashes Saudi Basic Industries Q4 Profit 29%

The company earned SAR4.36 billion ($1.16 billion) in the last quarter, a statement said.

UAE’s RAK Ceramics Says To Sell Stake In Laticrete Venture

RAK Ceramics said it aimed to close the deal by March 25 and that the sale of shares would be at a premium to book value.

UAE To Fund Solar Projects In Four Pacific Island Countries

The Emirates will fund solar-powered projects in the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, and the Solomon Islands through its $50m renewable energy fund.

Saudis To Review Blogger’s Flogging Case In Supreme Court

Badawi was flogged 50 times last week but a second round of lashings was postponed for what a source told Reuters were medical reasons.

Protesters Clash With Police In Bahrain, At Least 2 Wounded – Witnesses

The discontent among Bahrain’s Shi’ite masses has worsened since the arrest of Sheikh Ali Salman, a Shi’ite Muslim cleric.

The Battle For Black Gold: Can Saudi Win?

The Saudi domestic economy is softening as oil prices head south. Can it cope with the crash?

Is Saudi’s Stock Market Ready For An Upgrade?

In 2014, bourses in the UAE and Qatar were upgraded to emerging markets status. Could the opening of Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul see it follow?

Dubai Islamic Bank Sukuk May Open Window For Gulf Bond Issues

The plunge in Gulf stock markets, which were overvalued and dominated by panicking retail investors, made bond issuers stay out of the primary market.

Bahrain’s BAPCO To Decide On Refinery Expansion Next Year, Sees Tough 2015

The proposed expansion would boost the capacity of the Sitra refinery by 100,000 barrels per day, BAPCO’s CEO said.

Kuwait Controls Minor Fire At Shuaiba Refinery

There were no casualties and limited damage was caused, state news agency KUNA said.

Qatar May Fund Energy, Other Projects In Venezuela -Sources

Industry sources in Qatar said that the country was still studying the possibility of investing in Venezuela’s energy, real estate and tourism sectors.

ACWA Power, TSK Win Contract To Build Power Plant In Dubai’s Solar Park

The project has a net power capacity of 200 MW and is the largest utility scale solar plant in the world to be tendered in a single phase

Bank Muscat Q4 Profit Drops In Absence Of Insurance Payout

Bank Muscat made a profit of OMR36.5 million ($94.8 million) in the last quarter of 2014.

Oman Cement Q4 Net Profit Drops 35.8%, Trailing Forecasts

The firm made a net profit of OMR1.7 million ($4.4 million) in the last quarter of 2014.

New Saudi-Sinopec Oil Refinery Starts Exports

The company did not specify where the shipment was headed to.

Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways Leasing Unit To Sell 15 A320s For $507m

The carrier will sell aircraft from Sahaab Aircraft Leasing to a joint venture between South Africa’s Investec Bank and Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Enterprises.

Revealed: World’s Most Expensive Construction Markets

Qatar was the most expensive construction market in the Middle East region in 2014, according to a study by EC Harris.

Revealed: Best Passports In The World For Travel

Finland, Germany, Sweden, the UK and the US, who can all access 174 countries visa-free, top the list.

Dubai Utility DEWA Names Preferred Bidder For Upsized Solar Plant

A consortium of Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and Spain’s TSK had been selected as the preferred bidder to build the 200MW solar power plant.

Dubai’s Emaar Says Watching Market Conditions For Hotels IPO

Emaar sold a 15.4 per cent stake in its retailing unit in an initial public offer in September, raising $1.6 billion.

Saudi’s Al Rajhi Bank Q4 Net Profit Falls 1.8%, Misses Forecast

The decrease was the sixth straight drop in quarterly profit posted by the bank.

Nakheel Set To Lease Space At New JV Triangle Mall, Al Khail Avenue

The developer will launch for lease 1.5 million sqft of shopping, dining and entertainment space at the mall from January 18.

Stock News: Gulf Markets Rise After Oil Rebounds

Wednesday’s 4.5 per cent surge in Brent crude futures was the biggest percentage gain since June 2012.