UAE Banking: Brighter Prospects Ahead

After some difficult years, there are signs of better times ahead for the UAE banking sector.

Qatar’s QNB Aims To Be Largest Lender In ME, Africa By 2017

The lender is looking for acquisition targets in Turkey, Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa.

Papua New Guinea Appoints UBS To Refinance $1.48bn Abu Dhabi Bond

The five-year bond was issued to Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC) in 2009.

Saxo CEO Warns of China, Euro Concerns in 2014

Lars Seier Christensen warns of slowdown in China and on-going concerns in the Eurozone

Middle East To See A Surge In Chinese Investments In 2014

Around 74 per cent of Chinese investors polled said that they expected outbound M&A deals from the country to rise in 2014.

QNB Financial Services Expands Coverage To Saudi, Egypt, UAE

The brokerage is seeing increased interest in the three markets among Qatari investors.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank 2013 Q4 Profit Up 41%

The lender made a net profit of Dhs343 million in the fourth quarter compared with Dhs242.8 million in the same period in 2012.

Saudi’s Dar Al Arkan May Repay $450m Sukuk Early

The $450 million Islamic bond is due to mature in February 2015.

Kuwait To Invest $676m In Italy

The announcement was made by Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta, who is officially visiting the GCC.

Dubai Financial Centre Posts Double-Digit Growth For 2013

The number of active registered companies operating within the DIFC rose 14 per cent to 1,039 last year.

First Gulf Bank To Hire Investment Bankers To Grow Business

The bank has mandates for arranging loans and bonds for UAE entities totaling around $15 billion, an official said.

Trading On Dubai’s Main Stock Exchange Suspended

Trading on Dubai Financial Market (DFM) was suspended because of a system malfunction

Islamic Bank Of Britain Gets Fresh Capital, Plans Expansion

The injection will allow IBB to grow its retail operations and develop its commercial business.

Waha Capital 2013 Profit Up 43%

The firm’s total assets grew to Dhs5.2 billion from Dhs4.4 billion a year earlier.

Kuwait Finance House Q4 Net Profit More Than Doubles

Net profit rose to 26.4 million Kuwaiti dinars in the three months to the end of December compared to 11.8 million dinars a year earlier.

ING Shuts Middle East Asset Management Operation In Dubai

The small Dubai team managed $425 million of assets at the end of 2013.

Nearly 50% Of Finance Sector Workers Say Emiratisation Doesn’t Add Value

A bulk of local recruitment in banks is happening at graduate level, which needs to be accompanied by a sound retention strategy.

Flydubai Plans Benchmark-Sized Bond Issue In 2015

The amount raised will be used for the company’s general operating expenses and to fund some of its aircraft deliveries.

Saudi’s Shoura Council To Reconsider 40-Hour Work Week

Saudi Arabia’s advisory body will rethink its decision about reducing working hours in the private sector following an appeal by some of its members.

Standard Chartered Appoints New UAE CEO

Mohsin Nathani will replace Jonathan Morris, who has resigned from the bank for personal reasons.

Bahraini Lenders Al Salam Bank And BMI Bank Complete Merger

The merger is being carried out through a share swap of 11 Al Salam Bank shares for every one BMI Bank share.

Dubai’s Union Properties 2013 Profit Soars Eightfold

The company said it was recommending a five per cent bonus share dividend to shareholders for 2013.

National Bank of Abu Dhabi To Hire Over 100 UAE Nationals In 2014

The bank is on a hiring spree as it grows its commercial business and expands overseas.

Dubai’s Aramex Q4 Net Profit Up 16% On International Revenues

The company made a net profit of Dhs76.4 million in the three months to December 31.

Union National Bank Q4 Net Profit More Than Doubles

The lender made a net profit of Dhs306 million in the three months to December 31, up from Dhs136 million in 2012.

Investcorp’s H1 Fiscal Year Net Income Up By 53%

The company recorded a net income of $60.1 million in H1 FY 2014, compared to $39.2 million last year.

IMF Hikes UAE 2014 Growth Forecast, Warns Against Property Bubble

The UAE is expected to see inflation-adjusted GDP expand 3.9 per cent in 2014 and four per cent in 2013.

Bahrain Aims For New Business With Takaful, Sukuk Rules

The new rules cover the operations and solvency of takaful firms.

Dubai Financial Market Issues Securities Lending Rules

Dubai was one of the best-performing stock markets in the world last year.

How The Financial Sector Can Support Airline CAPEX Obligations

Mounir Kuzbari, EVP and board member, Novus Aviation Capital, explains how the GCC financial sector can better support the capital expenditure obligations of the region’s airlines.