Dubai Financial Market Q1 Net Profit Jumps Significantly

The exchange made Dhs215.1 million ($58.6 million) in the opening three months of 2014, compared to Dhs27 million in the same period last year.

Amnesty Blasts Qatar For Failing To Protect Domestic Workers

Domestic workers surveyed by the group in Qatar reported being slapped, pulled by the hair, poked in their eyes and kicked down the stairs by their employers.

Saudi Telecom Picks Banks For Debut Sukuk Issue – Sources

The sources said it was currently unclear if STC was looking to complete a sukuk issue in the local Saudi market.

Saudi Arabia Reports 11 New Cases Of MERS Virus, First In Mecca

A health ministry statement said eight of the people were in intensive care, two were stable and one showed no symptoms.

Abu Dhabi’s Fairmont Hotel Project Secures Dhs950m Loan

The 10-year loan is the first such facility agreed between ADCB and NIC.

Omani Government Raises $530m From Sale Of 19% Of Omantel

The government’s holding in the operator will drop to 51 per cent following the completion of the second and final part of the share sale.

Dubai’s Drake And Scull Wins $40m Algeria Contract

The firm will undertake the civil construction portion of the mixed use development in Algiers, it said in a statement.

Different Arab money

Kuwait’s Al Madina Files For Protection, Uncertain Of Viability

The company posted a net loss of 8.2 million Kuwaiti dinars ($29.2 million) for the 2013, against a 3.3 million dinar loss a year earlier.

Dubai Investments Expects Q1 Net Profit To Rise 26%

The company said its profit for the three months to March 31 would likely be Dhs265 million ($72.2 million).

Saudi Watchdog To Regulate Homegrown YouTube Shows

Dissatisfaction over state broadcasters’ staid programming and societal restrictions have created a large audience for web-based entertainment in the Kingdom.

Kuwait Wataniya First-Quarter Profit Rises 1.5% Despite Domestic Slump

Wataniya made a net attributable profit of 19.8 million dinars ($70.3 million) in the three months to March 31.

Spread Of MERS In Saudi Arabia Accelerates With 17 New Cases

The jump in infections is particularly concerning due to the large number of pilgrimsset to visit the country in July during Ramadan

Oman Expects 5% Growth In 2014 -Central Bank

Head of Oman’s Central Bank says infrastructure projects are generating economic activity.

Saudi Arabia’s Home Finance Company In Final Stages -Sponsor

Finance ministry and ICD venture Bidaya will submit an application for a licence as soon as regulations under the kingdom’s mortgage laws are finalised.

Dubai To Sell 15-Yr Benchmark Sukuk

Initial price thoughts on the Islamic bond have been set between 5 and 5.125 per cent.

Qatar Electricity And Water Q1 Net Profit Rises 49%

State-run utility’s net profit rises by nearly half in the three months to March 31.

Saudi Telco Mobily Q1 Net Profit Rises 4.5%, Misses Estimates

Mobily made a first-quarter net profit of 1.4 billion riyals ($373.3 million), up from 1.34 billion riyals in the prior-year period.

Saudi Telecom Q1 Profit Rises 54%

The firm made a net profit of 2.39 billion riyals ($637.3 million) in the three months to March 3.

Saudi Arabia Replaces Health Minister Amid MERS Virus Fears

Abdullah al-Rabeeah’s post will be taken over by Labour Minister Adel Fakieh, who keeps his current post, according to a royal decree.

Kuwait’s Stock Exchange Takes Step Towards Delayed IPO

The country has been considering an IPO of its stock market for years, but political infighting and entrenched bureaucracy delayed it.

Abu Dhabi Airport Passenger Traffic Up 15% In Q1 2014

The airport welcomed around 4.5 million passengers during the first three months this year.

Kuwait’s Zain Q1 Profit Rises 8%

The firm made a net profit of 55.9 million dinars ($198.5 million) in the three months to March 31.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Q1 Net Profit Up 20.4%

The lender made a net profit of Dhs409.5 million ($111.5 million) in the three months to March 31.

JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai Looks Beyond ‘Finite’ GCC

Newly installed general manager wants a broader range of guests and seeks to capitalise on Emirates’ global network

Kuwait Central Bank Warns Against Rising Government Expenditure

Kuwait’s central bank governor said that the state needs to reduce wasteful spending and “rationalise” subsidy programmes.

Bloom Begins Abu Dhabi Marina Construction

The waterfront development includes 225 residential apartments and a 200 room five star hotel.

Saudi To Develop MERS Vaccine To Combat Outbreak

An international firm is scheduled to visit the Kingdom to discuss the manufacturing of a MERS vaccine.

Saudi Retailer Alhokair Q4 Net Profit Climbs 40%

Profit climbed to SAR190.8 million ($50.9 million) in the quarter, the company said in a statement.

FIFA is considering a request from the South American Football Confederation for hosts Qatar to play Ecuador a day earlier than previously planned

Qatar Reduces Number Of World Cup Stadiums

The Gulf state has cut down the number of stadiums to eight from the original plan of 12, a senior official said.

Oman’s Bank Sohar Q1 Net Jumps 31%

Net loans and advances climbed 17 per cent to 1.31 billion rials, while customers’deposits increased 8 per cent to 1.41 billion rials.