UAE Woos Global Investors Seeking More FDI

As global foreign direct investments grow, the UAE is hoping to grab a significant portion.

Etihad Contests Australian Report, Says It Gets Loans, Not Subsidies

Abu Dhabi-based carrier responds to claims made in Australian paper.

Sharjah Residential Rents Increase

The emirate saw a 4.5 per cent rise in prices during the first quarter of 2014.

UAE Calls For Greater Coordination In GCC Economic Integration Plans

The comments were made at the 24th meeting of the GCC Ministerial Committee for Planning and Development in Kuwait.

RAK Mall Launches UAE’s First In-Store Go-Karting Facility

The 10,000 sq ft drift go-karting circuit will be operated by Italian engineering company Augusta Re Consulting.

Qatar’s Ooredoo Signs $1bn Loan Deal To Repay Existing Debt

Ooredoo will use the new facility to repay a $750 million loan due in May 2015.

Saudi Arabian Interests Buy About 600,000 T Feed Barley

It was priced between $250 and $255 a tonne, traders said.

Documents Reveal Etihad Received Royal Funding – Australian Daily

The loan for the state carrier required no repayments until 2027, reported the Australian Financial Review.

Saudi’s Dar Al Arkan Raises $400m From Sukuk Issue

The developer attracted a final order book of more than $1 billion for its five year sukuk.

Jumeirah To Enter Mauritius

New resort will open in 2018 and complements its two properties in the Maldives

Qatar Falls, UAE Maintains Position In World Competitiveness Yearbook

Qatar dropped to 19th while the UAE maintained its 8th place in the IMD ranking.

Investors Will Bear Brunt If Dubai’s Property Market Crashes – Analyst

New report finds banks and property developers in the UAE are more conservative and better prepared this time round.

Bahraini Teenager Dies After Clashes With Police – Activists

The Gulf state has suffered low-level civil unrest since mass protests in 2011.

Qatar’s Doha Bank Plans Capital Raising In 2015

Doha Bank’s asset expansion was more than 20 per cent last year and will continue to grow, its CEO said.

Abu Dhabi Approves 13 Development Projects In Q1 2014

Residential space accounted for 70 per cent of the total area of approved projects.

LuLu International Invests Dhs55m To Launch Galito’s Restaurant Chain in UAE

The franchise agreement includes plans to setup 15 restaurants in the UAE over the next four years.

Dubai Index In Biggest Gain In 8 Months, Property Leads Rebound

The measure is now up 43.9 per cent this year and has tripled since the start of 2013.

Abu Dhabi Confirmed As First Location for Star Wars: Episode VII

The seventh installment of the popular movie series is due to premiere in December 2015.

Kuwait’s Al Mazaya Restructures Debt Into KD12m Islamic Facility

The restructuring will allow the real estate developer to reduce its short-term loans by 39 per cent.

Qatar’s CBQ, Doha Bank May Raise New Capital In 2015

The lenders may need to increase their capital next year by $412 million each to abide by expected central bank regulations.

Etihad Opens Sydney Premium Lounge

UAE carrier’s two-level facility offers free wifi and is the airline’s first lounge in Australia

Saudi Telecom Sets Up $1.33bn Sukuk Programme

The operator did not say when it would issue the sukuk.

UAE’s Etisalat Bids For Maroc Telecom Minority Shareholdings

Etisalat bought Paris-listed Vivendi’s stake in Maroc Telecom last week for $5.7 billion.

UAE Receives First Nuclear Energy Reactor Vessel

The country’s first nuclear energy reactor is on track to begin operations in 2017, say officials.

Al Jazeera Warns Life Of Its Journalist Jailed In Egypt Is At Risk

Abdullah Elshamy, one of four reporters being held in Egypt, has been on hunger strike since Jan. 21 to protest against his detention.

Saudi King On Holiday, Crown Prince In Charge – Royal Court

King Abdullah departed the Red Sea port city of Jeddah for Morocco.

Nokia XL On Sale In The UAE, Priced Dhs589

The smartphone is the premium offering within the affordable Nokia-X range.

Bahrain’s Gulf Air Says Losses Fell 52% In 2013 After Restructuring

Losses were cut by retiring aircraft, closing eight routes, reducing staff expenses and renegotiating over 2,000 contracts with suppliers, it said.

Kuwait’s Emir To Visit Iran, Turn “New Page” In Ties

Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah will visit Iran on May 31-June 1 at the invitation of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

Oman Central Bank Says Stress Tests Find Banking System Resilient To Shocks

If all the applied stressed scenarios materialise, the banking system will need $201.3 million to recapitalise five deficient banks.