Saudi Arabia seeks to speed privatisations to help ease deficit

Saudi Arabia raised $800m from the recent sale of two flour mills, which followed two other mill sales of $740m last year

Hana Al Rostamani FAB

FAB Q1 group net profit at Dhs2.5bn; initiates share transfer to acquire Bank Audi sae Egypt

The acquisition will make FAB one of Egypt’s largest foreign banks by assets with pro-forma total assets of over $8.5bn

Dubai Islamic Bank Nasdaq Dubai sukuk

Dubai Islamic Bank lists $500m sukuk on Nasdaq Dubai

DIB is the leading UAE-based sukuk issuer by value on Nasdaq Dubai with a total value of $6.3bn listed on the exchange

KUWAIT-HEALTH-VIRUS

Kuwait curfew extended until end of Ramadan, cinemas prepare to open for Eid

The partial curfew will continue to be in place from 7pm until 5am

Several Israelis could move to the UAE to work – senior official

A quarantine-free travel corridor between the two countries will be set up very soon, says Fleur Hassan Nahoum, deputy mayor of Jerusalem

Sharjah Islamic Bank

Sharjah Islamic Bank operating profits up 27% in Q1 2021

Net profit for the three months ended March 31, 2021, amounted to Dhs164.2m, compared to Dhs153.7m for the corresponding period last year

Qatar stocks surge on plans to allow full foreign ownership

The cabinet approved a draft law that will allow overseas investors to own up to 100 per cent of listed companies

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Sheikh Mohammed launches National Behavioural Reward Programme

It aims to incentivise positive behaviour through a point-based system that can be used in payments for government services

Alan’s corner: Here’s how regional companies must shape their vision and mission

An organisation’s vision and mission statements must provide context for all its decisions and action

Are the smartphone users of today in a digital disarray?

It’s about time all of us seriously reflect on how we break this addiction

Dubai FDI

Dubai records Dhs24.7bn FDI in 2020

Dubai ranked fourth globally in FDI capital flows into greenfield projects

Revealed: Top 5 most powerful Arabs in Saudi Arabia

The highest ranked Arabs originating from Saudi Arabia in Gulf Business’ annual Arab power list

Dubai Chamber

Dubai Chamber members’ exports reach Dhs54.8bn in Q1 2021, up 6% y-on-y

Over 6,000 new member companies joined Dubai Chamber in the first three months of 2021

Dubai foreign trade

Dubai’s non-oil external trade reached Dhs1.182 trillion in 2020

China remained Dubai’s largest trading partner with Dhs142bn worth of exchanges in 2020

Four steps on how regional governments can elevate economic competitiveness

Government support is most effective when it is invested at a sector or industry level, creating enabling environments with well-designed regulations

The UAE likely to attract the most investment in MENA: Kearney

Kearney’s 2021 FDI Confidence Index ranks the UAE 15th globally

Saudi Arabia Alula

Saudi Crown Prince launches master development plan for AlUla

It will be implemented in three phases until 2035, with the first phase set to be completed by 2023

Dubai’s external trade with South Africa grows 17% to Dhs15.71bn in 2020

Agricultural and food products were the main commodities in Dubai’s trade with South Africa

Ramadan 2021: Dubai announces guidelines for praying in mosques

Maximum duration of Isha and Taraweeh prayers in mosques is capped at 30 minutes

Sheikh Hamdan launches Al Quoz Creative Zone in Dubai

Sheikh Hamdan launches Al Quoz Creative Zone in Dubai

Entrepreneurs in the creative sector will be able to issue freelancing permits and a single license to practice diverse creative business activities

Ramadan 2021: Pilgrims must be Covid-19 immune to enter two Holy Mosques

Those who have recovered from the Covid-19 infection can also be issued a permit

KUWAIT-HEALTH-VIRUS

Kuwait mulls renewing work permits for expats aged over 60 in certain cases

The ban took effect in January this year

Islamic Development Bank sukuk Nasdaq Dubai

Saudi’s Islamic Development Bank lists $2.5bn sustainability sukuk on Nasdaq Dubai

The total value of the bank’s sukuk listed on Nasdaq Dubai stands at $17.14bn

Sheikh Mohammed launches Dhs30bn strategic programme to stimulate vital sectors

The programme will contribute to financing more than 13,500 SMEs and creating 25,000 jobs

Abu Dhabi UAE

UAE economic recovery picks up pace in March, hits 20-month high – PMI

IHS Markit UAE PMI Index rose from 50.6 in February to 52.6 in March

UAE announces $3bn investment in Iraq

The joint statement came at the conclusion of the official visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Dr. Mustafa Al Kadhimi to the UAE

Oman is more than halfway towards meeting its financing needs for 2021

The government has OMR1.83bn left to raise after so far borrowing OMR1.77bn and withdrawing OMR600m from the Oman Investment Authority

Dubai launches new strategy to double companies and jobs in the creative sector

The Dubai Creative Economy strategy aims to double the creative industries’ GDP contribution to 5 per cent of Dubai’s economy by 2025

How chartered accountants can play a key role in the fight against climate change

Chartered accountants must lead the businesses they work with to integrate climate change risk into organisational strategy, finance, operations, and communications

Jail time for spreading rumours on ‘April Fools Day’ in the UAE

Spreading false news or rumours can lead to imprisonment of no less than one year