IMF chief says oil exporters have not fully recovered from oil shock

Christine Lagarde cautioned against investing in “white elephant projects”

gender gap 2022

Where do women stand in the UAE financial services profession?

Women are unable to grow and therefore there is a lack of women in leadership positions to encourage others to rise to the top

UAE’s Mashreqbank hires banks ahead of dollar bond sale

The potential issue is expected to be of benchmark size, which generally means at least $500m

UAE releases $496m frozen funds, ending Kuwait dispute

The amount had been frozen at Dubai’s state-owned Noor Bank since late 2017

Higher fee income helps profits rise at Bahrain’s Investcorp

The private equity house saw first-half net profit rise five per cent to $58m

FTSE Russell, Nasdaq Dubai to start Saudi equity indexes for derivatives trading

The move is part of an expansion of Nasdaq Dubai’s derivatives market

Saudi and Kuwait remain top picks for cautious Mideast funds

One third of fund managers expected to increase their allocations to regional equities over the next three months

Emirates Global Aluminium secures $6.5bn loan

The loan refinances an existing $4.9bn debt facility agreed in December 2015 and a $1.8bn loan raised by Dubai Aluminium

Bahrain’s Investcorp launches in India by acquiring IDFC businesses

Investcorp is looking to expand its business across Asia

Dubai Investments Park postpones Islamic bonds sale

DIP said more attractive funding alternatives were available

Abu Dhabi banks ADCB, UNB and Al Hilal to merge creating UAE’s third largest lender

The new banking group, with assets of $114bn, will carry the ADCB identity

UAE, Saudi reveal details about common digital currency Aber

The common digital currency is expected to reduce remittance costs between the two countries

ADCB’s chairman, CEO to fill top positions in new Abu Dhabi merged bank – sources

The three-way merger with Union National Bank and Al Hilal Bank could form a bank with around $113bn in assets

The many benefits of contactless payments in the UAE

The shift in consumer behaviour is requiring merchants to adapt to changes that could affect their bottom line

UAE to implement new technology to reduce cheque fraud

Banks in the country plan to use QR codes to improve cheque security

UAE-based Gulf Capital’s credit fund halts investments after staff departures

At least seven employees, including four managing directors, have left Gulf Capital in the past year and a half, said sources

Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed’s firm supports Uber-Careem merger

Kingdom Holding holds a stake in Dubai-based car hailing app Careem

Saudi’s largest lender NCB posts 3.5% rise in Q4 profit

The bank, which is in merger talks with Riyad Bank, made a net profit of SAR2.65bn in Q4

Saudi sells over SAR7bn sukuk in monthly issue

The kingdom’s finance ministry issued SAR5.37bn ($1.43bn) in domestic sukuk

Up to 62% of those receiving gratuity in the UAE expect to get over Dhs20,000

Survey finds 59 per cent are either fully or partly relying on their gratuity for retirement

Saudi Alhokair’s mall unit plans IPO launch in Q2

Arabian Centres Company has applied for an IPO with the Capital Market Authority

Lower VAT threshold to increase taxpayer base by 150,000 in Saudi – KPMG

From January 1, 2019 those with revenues of between SAR375,000 and SAR1m will also be subject to the tax

Kuwait announces initiative for $200m technology investment fund

The GCC state will give $50m to the fund to allow investment in the fields of technology and digital economy

UAE’s FTA reveals four conditions for business visitors to recover VAT

The minimum claim amount of each VAT refund application submitted by business visitors is Dhs2,000

Saudi’s NCB set to pick JPMorgan to advise on bank merger talks

Saudi’s biggest lender is holding merger talks with smaller rival Riyad Bank

Air Arabia begins legal proceedings against Abraaj founder

The airline disclosed last year that it had an overall exposure of $336m to Dubai-based Abraaj

Saudi’s Samba bank 2018 profit up 10%, meets forecasts

The bank attributed its increase in profit to a rise in net special commission income

Loan growth, higher margins boost Dubai bank Emirates NBD’s Q4 net profit

The lender reported a 10 per cent rise in fourth-quarter net profit

First Abu Dhabi Bank plans to raise $750m in sukuk

FAB is the first issuer in the Gulf to tap the international sukuk market this year

Abu Dhabi’s ADNH signs Dhs1.6bn loan to fund acquisition of Dubai hotels

Abu Dhabi National Hotels announced in November that it would acquire five hotels from Emaar