UAE Firm Bids For Egypt’s Renewable Plants

Access Infra Africa plans to invest over $500 million in renewable power assets in Africa over the next three years.

Saudi’s Almarai Cites Sales Growth For 15% Profit Jump

The company made net earnings of SAR428 million in the last quarter of 2014.

Iran Minister’s Saudi Visit Delayed Due To Oil Price Fall – Tehran

The two sides have been talking about the visit for about 18 months, and a date had been tentatively set for last October.

Air Arabia May Lease Aircraft After Jordan Expansion – CEO

The airline ordered 44 Airbus A320s in 2007 and 29 of those hade been delivered by November 2014, according to Airbus data.

Saudi’s Savola Group Misses Estimates With 23% Profit Drop

Net earnings in the three months to Dec. 31 were SAR434.4 million.

UAE-Based H Holding Enterprise Launches New Property Arm In The Middle East

The newly launched firm is aiming to establish a real estate portfolio worth Dhs500 million by the end of this year, the company’s chairman said.

Qatar Islamic Bank Q4 Net Profit Up 30.4%, Raises Dividend

Net profit for 2014 gained 20 per cent year-on-year to QAR1.6 billion.

Kuwait Likely To Post Deficit Before 2017- Minister

Falling oil prices will slash Kuwait’s public revenues by 60 per cent, the country’s finance minister told the parliament.

Ajman’s R Hotels Gets Dhs204m Funding For Palm Project

The company’s Dhs500 million hotel project on Palm Jumeirah is set to open in Q4 2016.

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.