Saudi opening may be non-event with no licences awarded yet

Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Authority has indicated it does not want or expect large, sudden fund inflows

Abu Dhabi’s new financial freezone starts accepting licence applications

Abu Dhabi Global Market is preparing for its launch in the second half of 2015

Saudi Arabia to reconsider applying Nitaqat system in select sectors

The government said that it will rethink quotas in some sectors which failed to attract citizens due to the nature of work involved

Different Arab money

Sovereign wealth funds turn to internal fund management

Sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East have the highest return expectations of sovereign funds globally

Buyout firm Arcapita sells $640m US real estate portfolio

The portfolio includes 16 facilities and 4,000 residential units for continuing senior care, the company said in a statement.

DIFC announces 10-year plan, says will triple in size by 2024

The financial free zone hopes that Dubai’s financial sector will raise its GDP contribution to 18 per cent over the next 10 years

GCC countries need to slash public spending – World Bank

Budgets have been buckling under the pressure of bloated public sectors and lavish welfare spending since oil prices dropped last year.

Dubai’s non-oil business growth picks up but still weak

Construction was the best performing sector in terms of output and employment growth in May, a new survey shows

Qatar cuts 2015 GDP growth forecast, sees deficit in 2016

Oil prices remain a key risk to the outlook, which is based on average prices of $56.0 and $61.6 per barrel in 2015 and 2016 respectively

Qatar buys $1.2 bn HK Electric stake from Li Ka-shing’s firms

Power Assets said it sold a 16.53 per cent stake in HK Electric but will remain as the controlling shareholder of the power supplier

Kuwait to table corporate tax bill in 2 years – finance minister

The minister expects the rate for international firms to fall and the levy on local companies to rise

UAE may give central bank role in setting monetary policy – governor

The government currently takes most decisions regarding the UAE’s monetary policy.

Cheap oil to push UAE into first fiscal deficit since 2009 -IMF

The UAE’s consolidated fiscal balance is expected to swing to a deficit of 2.3 per cent of gross domestic product in 2015 from a 5.0 per cent surplus last year, the IMF said.

Egypt’s EFG-Hermes plans Saudi Islamic fund as market opens up

EFG-Hermes says nearly a third of its $3 billion of assets under management is in Saudi Arabia, with $265 million managed by its Saudi unit.

Mubadala GE joint venture says looks at options for future structure

The joint venture was studying options in the wake of the U.S. conglomerate’s decision to exit most of its GE Capital operations.

Foreign firms wary of Saudi expansion on opening up of bourse

Regulatory obstacles and uncertainty about the size of fund inflows are deterring foreign firms from undertaking any quick build-up in their staffing and office space in Riyadh.

Emaar Properties trims Egypt listing price, sees up to $334m float

The flotation will involve 600 million shares, equivalent to 12.99 per cent of the company, offered at a price between 3.5 pounds and 4.25 pounds.

Low oil prices, regional tensions dent business confidence in the UAE

A new survey found a large quarter-on-quarter dip in UAE hiring during Q1 2015.

Saudi may issue government bonds this year -IMF official

Bond issues are being considered after global oil prices plunged last year.

Emirates NBD expects 12-15% growth in retail business in 2015

Oil price volatility is not expected to impact Emirates NBD’s retail growth estimates, a senior official said.

UAE non-oil business growth slows marginally in May – PMI

Output growth rose to a three-month high index reading of 62.8 points in May but the increase in new orders fell.

Five Saudi stocks to be closed to foreign investors -bourse

The Capital Markets Authority did not specify the reason for these stocks to be off-limits to foreign investors.

Saudi lost $49bn of foreign reserves in 4 months due to low oil prices

The kingdom’s foreign reserves fell to $683 billion in April, from $732 billion at the end of 2014, a new report shows.

IMF lifts outlook for Saudi GDP, sees bigger budget gap this year

Economic growth is expected to slow in 2016 as lower oil revenues hit state spending, the IMF said.

Abu Dhabi fund ADIA manages more of its billions in-house

The proportion of its assets managed by external fund managers fell to 65 per cent last year from 75 per cent in 2013, the authority said.

Saudi bourse opening could fuel international partnerships – JP Morgan

The market opening could lead to a flurry of foreign funds, paving way for more partnerships among local and international firms.

Emaar Misr cuts price of its Egypt IPO to $353m

The company had previously aimed to price the shares at 4.70 Egyptian pounds.

Real estate ranked as favoured asset class by UAE investors – survey

Stocks and precious metals were the other favoured asset classes among UAE investors, a Franklin Templeton survey found.

Saudi central bank net foreign assets drop 1.7% on month in April

Assets dropped 6.8 per cent from a year earlier to their lowest level since May 2013, central bank data showed.

UAE’s Rakbank buys 79.23% of RAK National Insurance in tender offer

The lender acquired 87.15 million shares at a total value of Dhs317.2 million ($86.37 million), it said in a bourse filing on Thursday.