First Gulf Bank Eyes 10% Loan Growth This Year

The UAE lender made a net profit of Dhs1.15 billion in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Dubai Plans Central Islamic Finance Regulatory Board

The emirate is hoping to become a global hub for Islamic finance and other businesses based on Islamic principles.

UAE’s NBAD Launches $16.6m Uridashi Bond

The 15-year bond will allow NBAD to directly access Japanese retail investors.

Abu Dhabi Bourse To List Big Private Firms

The new firms will be listed as Tier-2 stock without the need for initial public offerings.

Qatar Hires UBS For Possible $3bn VTB Deal

Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund plans to invest in the Russian state-owned bank.

Oman’s Bank Muscat Hit By $39m Prepaid Card Fraud

The lender said 12 prepaid travel cards were compromised outside of Oman.

Dubai’s DEWA To Print Sukuk This Week, Sets Price Talk

DEWA CEO Saeed Mohammed al-Tayer indicated last week that the sukuk would be $1 billion.

UAE’s Etihad Rail Gets $1.28bn Loan For Project

The UAE’s national railway network will span 1,200 kilometres and form part of the planned Gulf-wide railway network.

Chinese Bank ICBC ME Posts 69% Rise In 2012 Profit

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China’s Middle East unit posted a pre-tax profit of $54 million in 2012.

Dubai Fund ICD In Talks For Islamic Bond

Investment Corporation of Dubai, which controls some of Dubai’s top companies, expects to complete a deal this year.

Oman Seeks Consolidation In Financial Sector

There are now 18 banks in the sultanate after last year’s merger between the local business of HSBC Holdings and Oman International Bank.

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.