Dubai Customs furnished 452,000 insurance refund requests in H1 2020

The insurance refund requests were valued at Dhs3.2bn

Dubai

Dubai’s real estate sector records transactions worth Dhs72.5bn in H1 2020

In H1 2020, 4,536 women investors completed 5,112 investments worth Dhs6.6bn

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia refutes reports that it is mulling income tax

An official within the government added that the “issue is fundamentally not for discussion”

Muscat Oman

Oman to reimpose nationwide lockdown to contain spread of Covid-19

The two-week lockdown will commence from July 25

Kuwait runs into resistance on bill to boost borrowing

Kuwait raised $8bn in March 2017 in its first sale of international bonds

Dubai Food Security

Dubai’s external food trade valued at Dhs32bn in H1 2020

The emirate’s food imports reached Dhs22bn, while exports were recorded at Dhs5.5bn and re-exports amounted to Dhs4.5bn

G20 to make debt relief extension call closer to year end

All member countries have started implementing the Debt Service Suspension Initiative that currently is set to only run through December

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi records Dhs80.23bn non-oil foreign trade in first five months of 2020

Saudi Arabia was the emirate’s top trading partner during the period, accounting for Dhs17.91bn worth of trade

Dubai Chamber announces task force to manage late payments issue

The task force will explore the causes of late payments, raise awareness and encourage the adoption of best payments practices

Abu Dhabi bourse plans first ETF next month, followed by futures

The exchange in the capital of the United Arab Emirates is close to setting up a central clearing house

DP World

DP World lists $1.5bn sukuk on Nasdaq Dubai

The capital raised by the sukuk will be used for general corporate and growth purposes including refinancing debt

How to rebuild a post-Covid-19 world: The ‘new normal’ is green

As the world recovers from the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, sustainable policies and investments will help build a better future for generations to come

Abu Dhabi Fund for Development

Covid-19: Abu Dhabi Fund suspends debt repayment for beneficiary countries, companies

It covers the payment of instalments and interests over the period from January 1 to December 31, 2020

Dubai SME provides Dhs170m worth of incentives, services to entrepreneurs in 2019

Overall, local entrepreneurs received over Dhs630m worth of incentives and support from Dubai SME since its inception in 2002

Dubai reveals additional stimulus package worth Dhs1.5bn to support businesses

The stimulus package aims to support small and medium enterprises and a number of strategic sectors

Five recession-proof business ideas for UAE entrepreneurs

In light of the Covid-19 crisis, it would be prudent to consider businesses that are immune to recessions and/or economic crises

UAE residence-visa 2

Expired UAE residence visas, ID cards no longer valid until December-end

UAE citizens, GCC nationals and residents inside the country have a grace period of three months to renew their documents

Abu Dhabi aims to attract skilled expats by making life cheaper

Abu Dhabi is the 39th most expensive place for expatriates, according to New York-based consultant Mercer, more costly than Boston or Milan

Sheikh Mohammed Dubai Metro Route 2020

Video: Sheikh Mohammed inaugurates Dubai Metro’s Route 2020

The new route will provide direct metro connectivity to the Expo 2020 Dubai site

Saudi central banker says ‘too early’ to call recovery V-shaped

The International Monetary Fund is predicting a 6.8 per cent contraction for Saudi Arabia this year

Dubai

Dubai Developments Group offers tenants rent relief of upto six months

The package is valued at Dhs200m and expected to benefit over 1,500 businesses

Arabtec

Dubai-based Arabtec appoints Mubadala deputy group CEO as chairman

Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi replaces Mohamed Thani Al Rumaithi who recently tendered his resignation

Dubai Financial Market

Dubai Financial Market to reopen trading floor on July 7

DFM had announced the temporary closure of the premises on March 16 in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic

Saudi Arabia extends some stimulus measures for business

The economy of the world’s biggest crude exporter is expected to contract 6.8 per cent overall this year

Asian workers take a break at Friday Market in Kuwait City

Kuwait’s National Assembly approves expat quota bill – report

If approved, the law would require some 800,000 Indians to leave the country

Dubai Economy records 83% growth in DED trader licences in H1 2020

The number of DED trader licences issued in June reached 577, an increase of 163 per cent compared to 219 in June 2019

China Innoway to set up regional office in Dubai's DMCC free zone

China’s Innoway to set up an office in DMCC to spur Dubai’s tech startup ecosystem

Innoway, dubbed China’s Silicon Valley, has incubated over 3,400 startups and raised approximately Dhs4.7bn

KUWAIT-HEALTH-VIRUS-ECONOMY malls

Kuwait enters second phase of easing Covid-19 restrictions, with malls, cafes and parks reopened

Public and private sectors can resume work with a maximum of 30 per cent capacity

GCC heading for hotel supply glut

How can GCC countries turn economic diversification into a reality

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and plummeting oil prices, GCC governments must reconsider their approaches to build diversified economies

Dubai Islamic Bank lists $300m sukuk on Nasdaq Dubai

There is a total of $71.09bn sukuk now listed on the exchange