Dubai Mall Welcomes 75m Visitors In 2013, Up 15% From 2012

Emaar’s flagship mall also saw sales increase by 26 per cent last year.

Iraq’s Investment Challenge

Can Iraq’s oil prospects offset foreign investor’s security concerns?

Bahraini Court Shuts Down Shi’ite Clerical Group

The decision comes soon after stalled reconciliation talks between the ruling family and the opposition were revived.

McIlroy Willing To Take Risks To Win $2.5m Prize At Dubai Desert Classic

Organisers of the tournament are offering a $2.5 million prize for a hole-in-one.

Dubai Holding Unit Sells Land To MAF

TECOM Investments sold one million square feet of land at its International Media Production Zone.

Saudi’s Shoura Council Criticises Nitaqat System

Shoura Council members said that the Nitaqat system has been ineffective in creating jobs for Saudis.

Arabtec Expands Into Iraq With Baghdad Office

The Dubai firm has started looking for candidates for senior management posts including for the position of CEO.

First Gulf Bank Q4 Net Profit Up 19%

The lender made a net profit of Dhs1.37 billion in Q4 2013, compared with Dhs1.15 billion in the prior-year period.

Abu Dhabi’s Waha Capital Seeks $700m Loan

Waha has picked HSBC Holdings and First Gulf Bank to help arrange the five-year loan.

Dubai Islamic Bank Q4 Net Profit Up 66.2%

The bank made Dhs518 million in Q4 2013, up from Dhs311.7 million in the corresponding period the year before.

Dubai International Handled 66.4m Passengers In 2013

Opening of Concourse A and flydubai’s ongoing expansion spurred 15.2 per cent annual growth.

HSBC Oman To Pay First Dividend Since Merger

The bank made a net loss of 1.8 million rials in Q4 2013, compared to a net loss of 4.77 million rials in the year before period.

Bahrain’s Batelco Profits Fall, Buys Back Bond

Batelco confirmed a deal with Cable & Wireless Communications in 2013 to buy its Monaco and Islands Division for $570 million.

GEMS Education To Build More Schools As Market Booms

GEMS is aiming to create 10,000 new school places a year with most in the UAE.

Emirates To Move To New Dubai Airport After 2020

Emirates currently has a terminal dedicated to its A380 fleet at Dubai International airport.

Dubai’s Health Insurance System Brands As ISAHD

Every insurance firm looking to provide health cover in Dubai will have to secure a permit, the DHA said.

UAE’s TRA To Verify Official Government Twitter Accounts

The campaign aims to provide the public with authenticated source of news and information.

New Initiative Launched To Support Female Entrepreneurs

The new initiative Ro’Ya will help boost the rate of female entrepreneurship in the UAE, experts said.

NBAD Hires ANZ’s James Burdett As Group CFO

James Burdett was chief financial officer for ANZ.

NBAD Q4 Net Profit Edges Down

Net profit for the quarter was Dhs1.08 billion, slightly lower than Dhs1.12 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Kuwait’s Gulf Bank 2013 Net Profit Up 4%

Full-year net profit was 32.16 million dinars compared with 30.89 million dinars in the same period a year ago.

GCC Can Be Melting Pot For Global Energy – CEO

Energy CEO of DNV GL says the Gulf needs to look at the cost of energy and its sustainability.

Pentagon Notifies Congress Of Possible F-16 Upgrades For UAE

The multibillion dollar deal would include the sales of guns and navigational systems.

Stocks News: Gulf Vulnerable To Further Profit-Taking

The Dubai index has dropped for two consecutive sessions but is still up in January.

Roche To Add Staff Across Middle East Offices In 2014

Swiss biotech firm Roche has said that it will increase its regional workforce from 300 to 375 in 2014.

Over One Billion Smartphones Shipped In 2013, Samsung Leads

Smartphones accounted for 55.1 per cent of all mobile phone shipments last year, says IDC.

Viceroy Dubai Palm Jumeirah secures $201m Funding

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China marks its first project financing deal for a hospitality project in the Middle East

Kuwait’s Zain Posts Flat Q4 Profit, Forex Losses Bite

Zain said foreign exchange revaluations wiped $149 million from its full-year profit.

UAE Considers Importing North American Gas

Rapidly rising demand and slow production growth have made the UAE a net importer of gas over the past few years.

UAE Education Ministry Launches Tech Hub With Etisalat

The ‘Etisalat Education Technology Centre’ will be used to focus on research and development.