Qatar National Bank to seek Saudi investment banking licence

QNB plans to build its investment banking business through its branch network in Saudi Arabia

No more bank mergers in pipeline – Saudi central bank chief

Alawwal Bank and Saudi British Bank agreed last week to start talks on a possible merger

Olayan family plans to list its Saudi business

The company could be valued at $2bn to $3bn in an initial public offering

Saudi Aramco to dilute stake in Sadara Chemicals via IPO

Aramco has a stake of 65 per cent in Sadara

uae flag, UAE appoints Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s son as chairman of State Security

UAE real GDP growth forecast to slow to 0.9% in 2017 – BoA Merrill Lynch

The bank said the growth forecast masks a likely contraction in the oil sector due to the OPEC deal

DIFC-registered non-financial firms can now also operate in Dubai mainland

DIFC has signed an MoU with Dubai Economy (previously DED)

GCC finance ministers to discuss unified VAT regulations in Bahrain

All the six GCC states are anticipated to introduce a 5 per cent VAT simultaneously from January 2018

UAE residents finding it harder to get approval for new credit cards – report

On average, UAE residents applied for 3.25 cards each in the first quarter of 2017, says compareit4me report

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank Q1 profit up 8%

Profit was boosted by a double-digit percentage increase in non-interest income

Shareholders of Saudi gym chain Bodymasters mull listing on new market Nomu

The gym brand is currently owned through a 60/40 per cent split by two funds

Disrupting personal finance in the GCC

Amid tougher economic conditions, technology is bringing change to the Gulf’s personal finance market

China’s ICBC Doha clears more than $86bn in yuan transactions

The clearing centre was launched in June 2015

Alawwal Bank and SABB mull merger to create Saudi’s third biggest bank

British banks are the biggest shareholders in both lenders

Citigroup obtains capital markets licence for Saudi Arabia

The business, which will be branded Citigroup Saudi Arabia, will provide a full range of investment banking services

Abu Dhabi, Malaysia conditionally agree 1MDB debt deal

Last year Abu Dhabi’s state-owned IPIC asked the London court to arbitrate in a dispute with 1MDB

Saudi central bank says currency reserves healthy

The trade deficit is expected to drop this year

The growth of green bonds in the Middle East

Here’s how green financing could develop throughout 2017

Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala attracts $2.5bn in Europe private equity deal

It is the first time that Mubadala Capital is accepting capital from third-party investors

Newly-merged UAE bank posts 12% Q1 profit rise

National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Gulf Bank merged on April 1

Dubai bank Emirates NBD posts 4% rise in Q1 net profit

The bank made a net profit of Dhs1.87bn in the three months to March 31

Citigroup appoints new head for Saudi business

Carmen Haddad, the CEO of Citi’s Qatar business, will take on the new role

Dubai contractor Arabtec asks banks to waive debt terms

The building company reported accumulated losses of Dhs4.6bn last year

Saudi says tax on tobacco, sugary drinks can generate up to SAR10bn

A 50 per cent levy will be imposed on soft drinks and 100 per cent on tobacco and energy drinks

Saudi privatisation drive to see 100 entities listed on the Tadawul

Close to 180 companies are listed on the Saudi stock exchange currently

Troubled construction firm Saudi Oger sells 2.8% stake in Saudi Investment Bank

Saudi Oger is struggling because of cuts in government spending and payment delays

Dubai’s Shuaa plans HQ move to Abu Dhabi

The move comes as major shareholder Abu Dhabi Financial Group (ADFG) seeks to reduce costs

CEO argues 1% Gulf wealth tax would be better than VAT

Khalid Abdulla-Janahi said a proposed tax on people with assets of more than $5m was an effective way of shrinking deficits

Newly merged lender First Abu Dhabi Bank set to cut jobs

The merger of National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Gulf Bank was completed April 1

Strong loan growth helps Qatar National Bank post 12% Q1 profit rise

Loan growth was up 33 per cent year-on-year to QAR536bn

Ratings firm Fitch gets licence to operate in Saudi

Standard & Poor’s became the first foreign credit agency to obtain such permission last year