The mysterious (and continuing) fall in Saudi foreign reserves

The kingdom’s net foreign assets shrank by $36bn in the first four months of 2017

Bahrain’s Gulf International Bank obtains retail licence as part of digital push

The bank plans to launch digital banking services in Bahrain next year

Qatar riyal FX market in chaos as GCC diplomatic row continues

Bankers in the region believe the riyal’s peg to the dollar remains solid

How VAT legislation will change business set up models in the UAE

Group VAT registrations and how they affect UAE businesses

Qatar’s three-way bank merger aims to be completed by year-end

The merger will create the country’s second largest lender

Restoring Saudi state allowances will cost SAR5-6bn

Riyadh slashed the allowances last September to save money

Saudi restores public sector allowances as new Crown Prince appointed

The order is anticipated to restore six months of annual bonus to state employees

Saudi could be upgraded to emerging markets status by MSCI in 2019

MSCI estimated 32 major Saudi stocks would gain emerging market status

Qatar sovereign fund deposits dollars in local banks as precaution

New deposits by the Qatar Investment Authority were believed to total several billion dollars, a source said

Barclays and four of its former bosses charged over 2008 Qatar fundraising

Barclays said it was considering its position over the charges and awaited further information

UAE President restructures board of Abu Dhabi wealth fund ADIA

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is one of the world’s richest sovereign wealth funds

UAE’s Dana Gas gets injunction from English court blocking claims on $700m sukuk

The Abu Dhabi-listed energy company announced last week that its outstanding sukuk were not sharia-compliant and were therefore unlawful

Dana Gas’s sukuk holders say firm’s offer “repudiation” of English law

Dana said on Tuesday it had received legal advice that its Sukuk, which mature in October, were not compliant with the Islamic sharia code

Abu Dhabi investigators foil attempt to steal $173m from UAE bank account

Nearly 40 Asian and European individuals have been arrested in connection with the crime

Bahrain launches new rules for fintech firms

Bahrain’s framework provides a virtual space for companies to test their technology-based ideas

Abu Dhabi’s Dana Gas gets injunction blocking claims on $700m sukuk

Dana announced on Tuesday that it had recently received legal advice that its Sukuk were not sharia-compliant

Abu Dhabi’s Dana Gas sees shares soar after announcing $700m Sukuk restructuring

Dana proposed exchanging the Sukuk with new enforceable Shariah complaint instruments

Dubai developer SKAI rebrands, launches Dhs2.1bn hospitality focused REIT

The real estate investment fund will initially will include Five Holdings’ Dhs4.3bn Viceroy Dubai Palm Jumeirah

UAE blacklist likely to squeeze liquidity of Qatari banks

Qatari banks have around QAR60bn in funding in the form of customer and interbank deposits from other GCC states

Emaar to list UAE real estate development business in Dubai

The developer will list 30 per cent of its UAE real Estate Development business

Saudi central bank tells lenders not to trade with Qatar banks in Qatari riyals

Some UAE commercial banks are also holding off on doing business with Qatari banks

Bahrain’s Investcorp acquires Nordic telematics firm ABAX group for $210m

ABAX specialises in the development and supply of vehicle tracking systems and technology

Qatar stock market tumbles 7.6% as Saudi, UAE cut ties

The diplomatic rift could have a serious impact on some business deals and companies in the region

Dubai stock index drops on opening after Qatar rift

Abu Dhabi’s stock index also fell 0.4 per cent on opening

Saudi Aramco warned by lawyers on New York IPO litigation risks

A New York Stock Exchange listing and one on Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul exchange has been the favoured option for Saudi Aramco

Kuwait picks EY to value its stock exchange for potential IPO

The country has been considering an IPO of its stock market for years, but political infighting and entrenched bureaucracy have held up the process

UAE’s Dana Gas appoints advisers for $700m sukuk restructuring

The company has been facing a cash shortage because of missed payments from its assets in Egypt and Iraq’s Kurdistan

Mideast funds lose interest in UAE equities

Low trading volumes and financial pressure on some companies has led to the bearish sentiment

Saudi utility Marafiq may consider IPO

The IPO, which could be in 2019, could raise around SAR1bn

Bahrain wealth fund Mumtalakat hopes to invest in Aramco IPO – CEO

Reforms in Saudi Arabia will have “positive impact” on Bahrain, says Mahmood Alkooheji