Kuwait signs $2.9bn deal for LNG facility

Kuwait’s KNPC aims to finalise $5bn+ loan by Q1

“It’s one of the major loan deals to expect in the region – it’s going to be huge,” said one source

UAE banks NBAD, FGB finalise executive team for merged lender

The merger is expected to take place during the first quarter of 2017

Egypt received $2bn deposit from Saudi in September

The amount was received before a suspension of petroleum aid by Saudi, which began on October 1

Dubai bank Emirates NBD joins India’s ICICI on blockchain project

The technology will be used for global remittances and trade finance

Saudi Hollandi Bank mulling possible name change

The lender also said on Wednesday that its managing director Bernd Van Linder has resigned

Dubai seeks licence for world’s first Islamic trade finance bank

Emirates Trade Bank will specialise in international trade and commodity financing

Dubai launches international Islamic endowments body

The Awqaf International Organization aims to coordinate commercial efforts of sharia-compliant charitable foundations

RAK government to ring-fence Massaad investments

The emirate is transferring purchases overseen by the former RAKIA CEO, who it accuses of a $1.5bn fraud

Saudi Aramco eyes 2018 for mega IPO – CEO

All markets are still being considered for the IPO of up to 5 per cent of Aramco, said Amin Nasser

Abu Dhabi’s Aabar says fully behind Falcon Private Bank after 1MDB sanctions

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on Tuesday said it had ordered Zurich-based Falcon Private Bank’s Singapore branch to cease operating

Dubai Financial Market issues draft rules on sharia-compliant hedging

The rules aim to expand guidance on transactions that currently lack standardisation

Qatar National Bank Q3 net profit up 10.2%

The bank reported a net profit of QAR3.45bn ($947.5m) in the three months to September 30

Kuwait postpones planned $10bn bond issue until 2017

The government has not yet sent banks a request for proposals to arrange the issue

Abu Dhabi’s Waha hires ex-BNP Paribas banker as COO

Alain Dib will lead Waha’s investment businesses

Dubai looks to finalise $2.5bn fundraising deal for metro extension

The project will extend Dubai Metro’s Red Line to the 2020 World Expo site

Saudi Aramco to give investors unprecedented access to its accounts

The firm is said to be aiming for a reporting format similar to multinational oil companies BP and ExxonMobil

Kuwait’s stock exchange to sell Americana shares on Oct. 20

Alabbar-led investment group Adeptio agreed in June to pay $2.4bn to buy a 69 per cent stake in Americana

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

Bahrain foreign reserves halve since 2014 on oil slump

Gross foreign reserves held by the central bank shrank to $2.78bn on June 30 this year from $6.06bn in 2014

Standard Chartered appoints new CFO for Middle East and Africa

Mohamed Abdel Bary has been appointed regional CFO for Africa and Middle East with immediate effect

GCC firms struggle to get finance as region grapples with low oil prices

Bank lending and overall money supply has gradually slowed

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank cuts 200 jobs

The layoffs mainly affected junior staff, according to reports

UAE consumers will see biggest impact from VAT – experts

The tax is slated to be implemented from January 2018

Saudi central bank studying how to reschedule mortgages

The central bank issued instructions to banks on Sunday on how they should reschedule the consumer loans

Qatar exchange to introduce margin trading this week

The initiative primarily aims to boost liquidity in the market

Dubai compulsory health insurance boosts UAE insurers’ profits

Listed insurers reported aggregate profits in the first half of 2016 after losses in 2015

GCC countries face further credit rating downgrades

The region’s macro momentum is losing steam, says Fisch report

Saudi central bank orders rescheduling of consumer loans

The central bank said it wanted to support borrowers whose incomes had been reduced due to government spending cuts

Saudi Central Bank asks lenders to reschedule government worker loans

The cabinet announced this week that it would slash ministers’ salaries by 20 per cent and reduce a range of allowances

Saudi Arabia’s central bank to inject $5.3bn to boost financial stability

The central bank has been battling to slow the rise in money rates since early this year

Online marketplace The Luxury Closet closes $7.8m series B round

The firm said it would use the funds to accelerate its regional expansion