Bahrain, Manama, Cityscape view of Bahrain World Trade Center and Bahrain Financial Harbor

Bahrain awards 769 tenders worth $1.7bn in H1 2020

The construction and engineering sector accounted for the biggest share of contracts in the first six months of the year

DIFC-gate

DIFC launches new license starting at $1,500 for startups and entrepreneurs in Dubai

Businesses can secure up to four visas when renting a desk space within the freezone

Bahrain seen needing more Gulf aid as it’s downgraded by Fitch

Lower oil prices and the global coronavirus pandemic have combined to stretch its finances

Kuwait expats

Kuwait unlikely to extend visas beyond Aug 31, to stop issuing work permits for certain expats aged over 60

Expatriates whose visas expired by the end of May were given a three-month free grace period to renew their documents

Sheikh Mohammed Digital Economy

Sheikh Mohammed says digital economy is next priority for UAE

The digital economy’s contribution to the UAE’s local GDP in 2019 reached 4.3 per cent

Saudi Arabia’s inflation rate surged to 6.1% in July on VAT hike

Saudi Arabia increased its value-added tax from 5 per cent to 15 per cent on July 1

kuwait-skyline

Kuwait’s $65bn debt plan in peril after draft law rejected

The bill was designed to raise as much as $65bn

jebel-ali-free-zone

Dubai’s foreign trade in medical sterilisers grows 23% to Dhs70m in H1

Exports rose by 20 per cent year-on-year to Dhs31m from Dhs25.7m, while re-exports stood at Dhs6.5m

KUWAIT-HEALTH-VIRUS

Kuwait to move into fourth phase of reopening this week

Salons, gyms, barbershops, tailors, and spas are set to reopen from August 18

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank records 52% decrease in net profit for H1 2020

Its net revenue also declined nearly 11.5 per cent year-on-year to Dhs2.5bn

CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal

CSP launches new direct service from Abu Dhabi to Europe and Indian subcontinent

The new route will be served by a fleet of eight vessels ranging in capacity from 10,000-13,000 TEU

Dubai-new

Dubai businesses return to growth in July as pandemic impact eases

Construction as well as the wholesale and retail industry are leading the upswing

KUWAIT-HEALTH-VIRUS worker expat

Kuwait mulling plan that could see 360,000 expats deported in the ‘short-term’

The Gulf state is aggressively looking to reduce its expat population

Saudi Arabia Youth

Two-thirds of Saudi Arabia’s population is under the age of 35

Nearly half of all Saudi employees are below the age of 35

Kuwait city

Kuwaiti MPs reject draft law allowing private sector firms to cut salaries by up to 50%

Kuwaiti lawmakers have approved amendments to the rent law, allowing tenants to delay their rent payments

UAE plots new stimulus measures to bolster economy

The UAE’s central bank had provided more than $70bn of stimulus by March to aid businesses

AI everything

Dubai issues guidelines to restart exhibitions, live events and concerts

Measures to be followed include social distancing and limited capacity

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi ports’ non-oil foreign trade valued Dhs66.5bn for first four months of 2020

Re-exports fell 24.6 per cent year-on-year to Dhs13bn and non-oil exports by 8.5 per cent to Dhs18.3bn

Jobless recovery from virus takes shape for top 3 Arab economies

Employment continued to fall in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt despite a stronger pickup in non-oil private sector activity in July

DAFZA

Exports from Dubai’s DAFZA up 54% in Q1 2020

China accounted for the highest percentage of DAFZA’s trade, with 21 per cent valued at Dhs7.7bn

Dubai attracted around Dhs12bn of FDI in H1 2020

There were 190 FDI projects announced in the emirate in H1 2020, around 50 per cent of them being greenfield initiatives

Dubai UAE

JPMorgan sees virus fallout stoking Middle East deals into 2021

The first six months saw $72bn of bond issuance from the region

Dubai DMCC Diamond Exchange

Dubai’s DMCC cuts business registration fees for diamond companies by 50%

DMCC also said that newly registered companies will be offered a free 12-month membership of the Dubai Diamond Exchange

china oman

Chinese oil giant CNPC eyes BP’s $1.5bn stake in Oman gas field

China’s state-owned oil giant is reportedly conducting advanced discussions with BP for a 10 per cent stake in the Khazzan natural gas field

barakah nuclear energy uae

UAE begins nuclear energy production at Barakah plant

The UAE is the first Arab country, and the 33rd nation globally, to produce nuclear energy

ADCB

UAE’s ADCB to lay off around 400 employees – reports

The bank had asserted in March that no employees would be made redundant as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic

Standard Chartered

Standard Chartered appoints new CEO for Saudi Arabia banking division

In February last year, the British bank received approvals from Saudi Arabia’s financial regulator to open a branch in the kingdom

Kuwait workers

Kuwait’s draft law on expat quotas to exempt domestic workers, those on government contracts

Under the new proposal, Indians must not exceed 15 per cent of the population of Kuwaitis

Dubai crown prince Sheikh Hamdan

New survey in Dubai reveals 88% satisfaction in government’s handling of Covid-19 pandemic

There were 91 per cent of respondents who approved of the effectiveness of the national sterilisation programme, while 88 per cent were satisfied with the testing measures in place

DIFC

China strengthens fintech cooperation with Dubai through new agreement with DIFC

Jiaozi Fintech Dreamworks and DIFC will collaborate on key sectors such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing