developer portal

Abu Dhabi’s ADIB launches API developer portal to drive open banking

The new portal will enable fintech developers to use the lender’s APIs for the purpose of developing their own applications

Cathal Dowling Director invesco talks bonds, negative returns and more

From negative returns to bond yields, current investment trends mapped

Trends show investors have been buying bonds in a range of financial and corporate issuers, where yields provide a boost to the income the funds produce

Bitcoin

Bitcoin drops to one-month low as US CPI report hurts sentiment

The world’s largest digital token tumbled as much as 6.4 per cent to $25,593, its lowest level since May 12

How wealth advisory must be customised for the new generation

Millennials and Gen Z are increasingly take their place in the boardrooms of family businesses

digital cash

Fundamental question: Does your country really need digital cash?

Whether you’re Poland or Peru should make a big difference in deciding just how big a priority a central bank digital currency should be

expensive cities

These are the world’s 20 most expensive cities for expats

ECA International analyses the cost of consumer goods and services in more than 490 locations worldwide, while accommodation data is also factored in

VaultsPay and Wibmo launch pre-paid card for underbanked in GCC

VaultsPay, Wibmo to launch pre-paid card for GCC’s underbanked segment

Aimed at serving the large population of underbanked people in region, the pre-paid card will go live in the third quarter of the year

HSBC boosts Saudi investment banking team amid flurry of deals

International banks including Citigroup and Bank of America have been expanding in the kingdom

sheila alrowaily Aramco

Aramco executive becomes first woman on Saudi Central Bank board

Sheila Alrowaily is among a growing number of women taking on leadership roles in finance across the Gulf region

UAE’s trade surplus with GCC countries equals Dhs134.7bn in 2021

UAE imports from GCC countries in 2021 increased to Dhs56.3bn, compared to Dhs43.8bn in 2020

Gold steady in Asia with traders digesting cooling US Inflation

Central banks to increase gold holdings over crisis concerns

Anticipated changes in the international monetary system and concerns over rising economic risks in reserve currency economies are also major factors

ADQ

Abu Dhabi’s ADQ, Jordan’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship launch $100m tech fund

The fund will be dedicated to tech startups and companies specialised in sectors such as telecommunications, financial services and education, among others

Rapyd DIFC

Fintech Rapyd becomes first DIFC-registered Israeli company

The company plans to hire 120 employees in Dubai across the R&D, product, operations and HR departments within the next 18 months

Dubai-Internet-City Tecom Group

Tecom Group to list 12.5% of shares on Dubai Financial Market

The company expects to pay a dividend amount of Dhs800m per annum over the next three years

First Abu Dhabi Bank ADGM MoU

First Abu Dhabi Bank offers ADGM entities preferential banking service

First Abu Dhabi Bank and ADGM will support each other’s key initiatives and jointly organise industry workshops and innovation programmes

Qatar expansion

Julius Baer to expand into Qatar to drive regional expansion

Julius Baer has hired Slim Bouker, Doha Bank’s head of private banking, to oversee the expansion

Bitcoin

Bitcoin tumbles as much as 7.1% to drop back below $30,000

Bitcoin has been strongly correlated with risk assets for much of the past couple years

Gold

Gold’s haven appeal burnished by drumbeat of growth warnings

The gold price decline in recent months has come as the US central bank started its hiking cycle

Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange

Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange’s market capitalisation hits $545bn

The market value of shares owned by foreign investors in Q1 2022 jumped 163 per cent to total Dhs131bn

Indonesian government

Indonesian government lists two sukuk valued at $3.25bn on Nasdaq Dubai

The Indonesian government is one of the largest sukuk issuers on Nasdaq Dubai

Samia Bouazza, CEO and Managing Director at Multiply Group

Multiply Group joins FTSE Global Equity Index Series

In March, Multiply Group was added to the newly designed FTSE ADX 15 – the first index co-developed under the FTSE ADX partnership

valU EFG-Karim-Awad

FAS Labs, valU partner to offer digital consumer finance services in Saudi Arabia

The agreement will accelerate the geographical expansion of valU and provide digital finance solutions to consumers in Saudi Arabia through FAS Finance

EFG hermes Boursa Kuwait

EFG Hermes wraps up advisory on $323m private placement ahead of Ali Alghanim and Sons’ IPO

This is a significant milestone for EFG Hermes, as it’s the firm’s first IPO on Boursa Kuwait where it has acted as a joint bookrunner for the offering

Inflation doesn’t stop UAE’s biggest business upswing this year

The rate of job creation in UAE was the quickest in seven months despite the inflation

Public Investment Fund

Saudi wealth fund to take $185m Jordanian bank stake

The Public Investment Fund signed a subscription agreement that would involve it buying 63 million newly issued shares

Bitcoin

Bitcoin heads higher in attempt to escape $30,000 level

Bitcoin and the rest of the cryptocurrency complex has struggled in recent months as the Federal Reserve hikes interest rates

Digital wallet

Did you know that over half of the UAE population use digital wallets?

The survey was commissioned by Checkout.com and conducted by YouGov, polling over a 1000 UAE residents during May 19 and May 24, 2022

EFG Hermes concludes role as joint bookrunner on $2bn Borouge IPO

This the largest-ever listing in Abu Dhabi’s history since ADNOC Drilling’s $1.1bn IPO; EFG Hermes was also joint bookrunner for the IPO

Bitcoin retreats to consolidate below $30,000

Cryptocurrencies have struggled as the Federal Reserve and other central banks hike rates

Middle East IPOs

Middle East IPOs on track for best ever first half as oil surges

IPOs in the Middle East have fetched $11.4bn in the first five months of the year