QNB Bid For 100% Of Soc Gen Approved

Qatar National Bank had planned to buy 77 per cent of National Societe Generale Bank last year.

Etisalat Picks Banks For $6bn Maroc Telecom Stake

Etisalat is talking to banks about a syndicated loan of up to $8 billion to finance the potential transaction.

Arqaam Hires Ex-Credit Suisse Banker To Head Equity Sales

Wafik Nsouli will take charge as executive director and head of institutional equity sales

UAE’s Tabreed To Issue Bonds To Mubadala As Dividend

The Dubai-listed company has proposed to pay a cash dividend of 5 fils per share to its shareholders.

Emaar Shares Hit 51-Month High Ahead Of Dividends

The Dubai developer’s shares jumped 4.6 per cent to hit Dhs5.15, its highest close since November 2008.

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank To Issue Two-Tranche Bond

The UAE lender will issue a benchmark-sized five-year bond and also a ten-year subordinated deal.

Qatar Holding To Seek Credit Ratings This Year

The Qatar sovereign has ratings of Aa2 from Moody’s and AA from S&P, and was in the bond market last summer with a $4 billion sukuk issue.

Qatar’s Doha Bank To Launch $426m Rights Issue

The issue will be split equally between a local offering and global depositary receipts (GDRs) in London.

Covered Sukuk To Offer Investors Greater Security

The structure could play a role in Islamic finance after it was used for the first time by London-based subsidiary of Kuwaiti firm Securities House.

Bahrain’s Al Baraka Q4 Income Up 24%

The bank made a net profit of $26 million for the final three months of 2012, meaning a full-year profit gain of 13 per cent.

Oman’s Bank Muscat Gets $195m Equity Investment

International Finance Corp is to buy into the lender with a 5.28 per cent private share placement.

StanChart Hires Ex-RBS Banker For Top MENA Job

Tom Emmet will head up the lender’s mergers and acquisitions business in the MENA region.

Emirates Banks Association To Change Name

The group will now be known as UAE Banks Federation to better reflect ‘the union of UAE banks’.

Bahrain’s Ahli United Bank Sees 11.8% Q4 Profit

The lender said earlier this month it was seeking regional acquisition targets after selling a 29.4 per cent stake in Qatar’s Ahli Bank.

Qatar To List $12bn Firm With Wealth Fund Assets

Qatar Holding’s vice-chairman says the firm will invest in shares, bonds and private equity.

Mubadala Converts Aldar Bonds Boosting Capital 10%

Aldar, which has been bailed out by the Abu Dhabi government over the past two years, plans to merge with rival Sorough.

UAE Grants Bahrain $2.5bn For Development

The money will be disbursed on an annual basis over the next 10 years.

Kuwait Finance House Q4 Net Rises 24% But Misses Estimates

KFH, Kuwait’s biggest Islamic lender, started a restructuring programme last year.

Dubai’s Nakheel In Talks To Extend $2.2bn Loan

Ali Rashid Lootah dismissed concerns over Nakheel’s ability to repay its debts, which include a Dhs3.8 billion sukuk.

Abu Dhabi’s Aabar Seeks $2bn Loan Refinancing

The company borrowed heavily to build up holdings in a number of major companies, including carmaker Daimler.

Geopolitical Sanctions Weigh On Dubai Consumer Banking

The emirate is sensitive to the issue given its geographical positioning to countries targeted by sanctions.

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank To Begin Bond Meetings

The UAE lender said earlier this week it had mandated lead arrangers for the $500 million issue.

Oman Posts $8.4bn Budget Surplus For 2012

The surplus is equivalent to 12 per cent of the sultanate’s 2011 GDP.

Qatar May Invest Up To $3.5bn In Russian Bank VTB

VTB, Russia’s second largest bank, could issue the Qatari wealth fund with $1.5 billion of new equity, says report.

Saudi Sipchem Signs $280m Refinancing Deals

The first instalment is due to be repaid in the second half of 2013.

Invest In GCC Stock Markets, UAE Real Estate, Says Expert

Signs of recovery are visible in the market with strong indications of growth, according to a senior official at Emirates NBD.

UAE’s Gulf Capital Buys Stake In Oilfield Services

Gulf Capital, which has around $1 billion in assets under management, did not provide financial terms.

Kuwait Watchdog Urges Better Islamic Finance Oversight

The number of Islamic financial firms which obey religious principles has increased substantially in Kuwait.

Mashreq Sees 10-15% Profit Rise In 2013

Chief executive Abdulaziz Al Ghurairis optimistic about the bank’s performance this year.

Dubai’s ICD Begins Talks On Refinancing

Dubai’s flagship investment vehicle is scheduled to repay a $2 billion loan.