Dubai Holding Hires Citi To Advise Axiom Sale

Many of Dubai Holding’s units have had to hold talks with banks to extend liabilities and restructure debt.

Dubai’s Arabtec Extends $650m Share Offer Period

The closing date for subscriptions has been extended to July 4 from June 23.

Kuwait Sheikh Sues UBS For $21.4m In Dubai Court

Sheikh Meshal Jarah al-Sabah says the bank recruited him to scupper Vivendi’s bid to acquire Zain’s operations in Africa.

France and Qatar Launch New $394m Fund To Invest In French SMEs

Qatar had earlier planned to invest 50 million euros into businesses in French suburbs.

Abu Dhabi’s Merged Property Firms To Begin Trading On June 30

Aldar Properties and Sorouh Real Estate will trade as a merged entity with a capital of Dhs7.86 billion.

First Gulf Bank Buys Dubai Credit Card Firm For $164m

The Abu Dhabi-based lender has acquired Dubai First from the debt laden Dubai Group.

Middle East HNWIs More Confident In Increasing Wealth

A study by Barclays Wealth shows a growing confidence of increasing fortunes compared to other global markets.

Kuwait Finance House Says 20% Capital Increase Oversubscribed

The sale will push the bank’s Tier 1 ratio towards its 17 per cent target for the end of 2013.

Local, Global Trends Boost Gulf Banks As Foreign Rivals Retrench

Gulf economies have ridden out the global financial crisis of the past five years more smoothly than many economists expected.

UAE Regulator – Bourse Merger Would Have “Many Advantages”

The UAE has revived a proposal to merge its two main bourses in a state-backed deal that could boost trading.

Oman Needs To Consider Fiscal Reforms

The sultanate’s central bank has issued a warning to the country which echoes a similar statement by the IMF last week.

Qatar Exchange To Start Trading Government Bonds

A market for corporate bonds would help companies finance their expansion plans.

UAE Revives Plans To Merge Stock Exchanges

The entire valuation and the structuring of the deal has already been completed, say sources.

Investcorp Buys 38% Stake In Saudi Energy Services Firm

The Bahrain-based investment firm is buying a stake in Al Yusr Industrial Contracting Co from two members of its controlling family.

Qatar Sells Back 10% Porsche Stake To Founding Families

Porsche was forced to sell the stake to Qatar Holding in 2009 as a way to prop up its strained finances.

Qatar Tightens Caps On Banks’ Securities Investment

Banks’ total investment in equities and debt instruments must be limited to 25 per cent of their capital and reserves.

Regional Political Tension Seen Hitting GCC Stock Markets

Saudi Arabia’s stock market, the region’s largest, dropped 4.3 per cent on Saturday.

UAE Finances Strengthening But Risks Remain In Dubai – IMF

The possibility of another boom-and-bust cycle in Dubai is a risk for the UAE economy in the medium term, the IMF warned

Open Books For Bonds – GCC Companies Must Bare All

The mandatory practice is unfamiliar to many local businesses but must be complied with in order to tap the growing markets.

Oman Needs To Slash Spending To Keep Budget Sustainable – IMF

The sultanate needs to adjust its fiscal balance by around 10 per cent of GDP over the medium term, said the IMF.

What Does The MSCI Upgrade Mean For UAE, Qatar?

The two nations have been upgraded from frontier markets to emerging markets by index compiler MSCI.

Qatar’s Stock Market Surges On MSCI Upgrade

The Gulf state’s bourse jumps to its highest level since September 2008.

Saudi Airports Agency Picks Banks For Huge Riyal Sukuk

The size of the new Islamic bond could match the firm’s record-breaking $4 billion debut sukuk issued in 2012, say sources.

Dubai World Unit Sells UK Asset To Brookfield

This is the first major sale of a foreign asset by Dubai World as it restructures its debt.

Dubai Sovereign Fund ICD Signs Upsized $2.55bn Loan

The new deal, which was arranged by a group of eight local and international banks, refinances an existing $2 billion facility.

Dubai Group’s Battered Assets A Pain For Creditors

Dubai Group and its lenders have been locked in a complex debt restructuring.

Dubai Loans Driven By Local Banks

Regional banks have been well capitalised since the 2009 crisis and now driving the economic recovery.

UAE Ready For MSCI Upgrade – Expert

The UAE and Qatar are hoping to receive an upgrade to emerging market status during a review of the MSCI indexes on Wednesday.

UAE Banks Ask Central Bank To Allow Loan Transfers For Nationals

The UAE regulator issued a circular last month, directing banks to halt loan transfers for three months.

Citigroup To Exit UAE Interbank Rate Setting Panel

The move will increase the dominance of local banks over foreign banks in the panel that determines Eibor.