Bahrain’s Ahli United Bank Appoints New Chairman

Hamad al-Humaidhi has been appointed the new chairman of Ahli United Bank.

Dubai Islamic Bank Makes Offer For Remaining Tamweel Shares

The bank currently holds 86.5 per cent of Tamweel.

UAE’s TAQA Slashes Capex Plans, Dividend, After Big Q4 Loss

The company lost Dhs3.63 billion in the fourth quarter of 2014.

HSBC Bank Oman Completes Sale Of India Assets To Doha Bank

Shareholders of Doha Bank, Qatar’s fifth-largest lender by assets, approved the purchase in December 2014.

Abu Dhabi’s TDIC Delays Fundraising Plans For Huge Shopping Mall – Sources

The move by the Abu Dhabi state-owned investment fund casts doubt on whether this key part of the emirate’s infrastructure plans will go ahead.

GCC States Move Towards Introducing VAT

A legal team has been assigned to build a framework by May this year for the eventual introduction of VAT in the region.

National Bank Of Kuwait Sets IPTs For Benchmark Dollar Tier 1 Bond

The bond will be issued through a special purpose vehicle, NBK Tier I Financing Ltd, and be guaranteed by NBK.

Saudi’s Sidra Capital Opening Islamic Trade Fund To GCC Investors

The fund provides working capital to small businesses focusing on agricultural commodities, energy and metals, a segment often neglected by Islamic lenders.

Global FDI Flows Fall 8% In 2014 As Economic Growth Falters

Foreign direct investment (FDI) to the UAE, which although grew 25 per cent in 2014, did not reach the estimated amount of $14.4 billion.

Dubai’s Drake & Scull Proposes No 2014 Dividend

The company’s profit fell to Dhs100.7 million ($27.42 million) in 2014 from Dhs166.5 million a year earlier.

Saudi To Link Foreign Investment To Infrastructure Projects

Prince Saud K. Al Faisal said that under a new programme, the government would propose investments linked to such state spending plans.

Qatari Investors To Pay $5bn For 49% Shandong Dongming Petchem Stake

The cash will be used to finance a number of projects that Shandong is currently working on.

Saudi Aramco Says Signs $10bn Dual-Currency Loan

The loan will replace an existing $4 billion facility due to mature later this year.

Bahrain’s Mumtalakat, Investcorp Acquire Private School Network In US

Nobel Learning, which operates 176 schools across 18 states, was acquired from Leeds Equity Partners for an undisclosed sum.

Oman’s Bank Dhofar Gains Board Approval For $117m Rights Issue

The rights issue would be in addition to the planned Tier 1 bond of $300 million.

Agility Trims 2014 Dividend Despite 10% Q4 Net Profit Gain

The firm said in a statement on Sunday its net profit in the last quarter of 2014 grew to $45.7 million.

Qatar’s Bourse Says Plans Rights Issue Trading

The bourse gave no specific timeline for the reform.

UAE’s Islamic Banking Assets To Reach $263bn By 2019

Islamic banking assets in the Emirates crossed $1 billion in 2014, a new report says.

CEO Of Bank of London and The Middle East To Resign In June

Humphrey Percy, who has served as CEO since August 2006, will also step down as a board member of the bank, BLME said.

Credit Suisse Raises UAE Equities To Overweight From Neutral

The key risks for the UAE stock markets are an escalation of the military conflict in Yemen and renewed weakness in oil prices, Credit Suisse said.

Rising Costs Facing Mideast Firms In Fight Against Financial Crime

Many companies polled said that compliance costs had surged by more than 50 per cent over the last two years.

Foreign Direct Investment Flows To Dubai Reach Dhs28.6bn In 2014

The emirate’s top source countries for investment were the US, the UK, India, Netherlands, Germany and Italy.

Saudi Drawing Down FX Reserves To Cover Deficit, Data Suggests

Billions of dollars of Saudi money may be withdrawn from Western banks and financial markets this year as the country copes with a sharp reduction in its revenues.

Kuwait Opens Door For Foreign Operator To Own Part Of Stock Market

Such a move would open the way for an international exchange operator such as Nasdaq OMX or Euronext to take a stake in the stock market.

Aabar Chairman Says UniCredit Bonds Not An Exit From Bank Investment

Aabar chairman Khadem al-Qubaisi said the company may issue similar bonds linked to shares in other investments in future, although it currently had no plans to do so.

Investors Hope RWE’s Gulf Dream Offers Cash Or New Markets

The utility last week disclosed it was in talks with an unnamed Gulf investor, raising hopes that it could receive fresh funds and emerge from a crisis.

Borse Dubai Rules Out Nasdaq OMX Group Stake Sale

The company earlier confirmed it had sold its complete 17.4 per cent stake in the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

Borse Dubai Says Sold Complete Stake In London Stock Exchange

The firm had been the biggest single shareholder in the LSE prior to the sale.

Saudi’s Almarai Says Gets $67m Compensation For Bakery Fire

The fire in October 2014 caused “significant” damage at one of Almarai’s bakeries in Jeddah, the company said at that time.

Stock News: Gulf Markets Sink After Yemen Intervention; Dubai Worst Hit

Dubai’s index, which is the most volatile in the region because of leverage and the dominance of short-term investors, tumbled 5.1 per cent.