JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai Looks Beyond ‘Finite’ GCC

Newly installed general manager wants a broader range of guests and seeks to capitalise on Emirates’ global network

Kuwait Central Bank Warns Against Rising Government Expenditure

Kuwait’s central bank governor said that the state needs to reduce wasteful spending and “rationalise” subsidy programmes.

Bloom Begins Abu Dhabi Marina Construction

The waterfront development includes 225 residential apartments and a 200 room five star hotel.

Saudi To Develop MERS Vaccine To Combat Outbreak

An international firm is scheduled to visit the Kingdom to discuss the manufacturing of a MERS vaccine.

Saudi Retailer Alhokair Q4 Net Profit Climbs 40%

Profit climbed to SAR190.8 million ($50.9 million) in the quarter, the company said in a statement.

FIFA is considering a request from the South American Football Confederation for hosts Qatar to play Ecuador a day earlier than previously planned

Qatar Reduces Number Of World Cup Stadiums

The Gulf state has cut down the number of stadiums to eight from the original plan of 12, a senior official said.

Oman’s Bank Sohar Q1 Net Jumps 31%

Net loans and advances climbed 17 per cent to 1.31 billion rials, while customers’deposits increased 8 per cent to 1.41 billion rials.

Aldar Launches New Abu Dhabi Developments Worth $1.4bn

The developer has launched three new projects in Abu Dhabi worth $1.4 billion, it said in a bourse statement.

Kuwaiti Newspapers Suspended Over “Plot” Tape Stories

Two newspapers were suspended after they published stories about a recording that discusses an alleged plot to overthrow the Gulf state’s ruling system.

Saudi’s Kingdom Holding Q1 Net Profit Up 15% On Investment Income

Net earnings in the three months to March 31 were SAR126.4 million ($33.7 million), compared to SAR110.1 million in the same period a year earlier.

Saudi Electricity Q1 Net Loss Widens 39% On Higher Costs

The company lost 913 million riyals during the three months to March 31, compared to 657 million riyals during the same period of the previous year.

Kuwait’s Zain Says Sued For $4.5bn Over Iraq Telco Buy

The company, which filed a lawsuit, claims Zain’s takeover had stopped the firm buying Iraqna, causing it losses of $4.5 billion.

Bahrain’s GIB Plans 2bn Saudi Riyal Note Issue

Gulf International Bank plans to issue floating rate notes with a lifespan of five years through a private placement in Saudi Arabia.

Influential Cleric Attempts To Soothe Gulf Rift

The cleric used unusually placatory language about Qatar’s neighbours, some of whom he has accused of a variety of failings including being insufficiently Islamic.

Work Begins On World’s Tallest Tower

The Kingdom Tower project has been undergoing exhaustive testing works before construction begins on April 27.

First Gulf Bank Rebrands For Expansion Drive

UAE lender says the rebrand signals its clear plans to grow.

Volatility Boosts Forex Trading Investment

Despite a recovery in yields across asset classes such as equities and real estate, the liquidity and volatility of the forex industry remains attractive to regional investors.

Deyaar Launches Hotel Tower In Dubai’s Business Bay

The launch continues Deyaar’s move into the hospitality sector.

Saudi Arabia Announces Jump In New Cases Of Deadly MERS Virus

MERS has infected 244 people in the Kingdom, of whom 76 have died, according to officials.

Gunmen Kill 2 Egyptian Policemen Near Cairo

The armed men fled the scene after shooting dead Captain Ashraf Badeer el-Qazaz of the intelligence service, the ministry said in a statement.

Saudi’s SABIC Says Natural Gas Shortage Limiting Domestic Growth

SABIC chief said that increased competition among sectors and a shortage of gas have made internal expansion hard.

Dubai Real Estate Investment Up 57% In Q1 2014

Emiratis invested around Dhs7 billion in Dubai property while Indians continued to be the top foreign investors with transactions worth Dhs5.8 billion.

ADCB To Buy $122.5m SME Loan Portfolio From Mubadala GE

The portfolio, which comprises loans to SMEs in the UAE, will strengthen the bank’s position in the sector.

Saudi’s Khodari Q1 Net Up On Auction But Operating Profit Plunges

The firm’s operating profit fell 96 per cent partly due to reforms in Saudi Arabia’s labour market.

Saudi Savola Group Q1 Profit Rises 43%

The company made a profit of 423 million riyals in the first three months of 2014, up from 295 million riyals in the year-earlier period.

Nakheel Awards Dhs47m Contracts For Deira Islands Project

The developer has appointed AE7 for design, supervision, architectural and engineering services.

Saudi SABIC Profit Slips In Q1, CEO Says Must Expand Abroad

SABIC made a net profit of 6.44 billion riyals ($1.72 billion) between January and March compared to 6.56 billion riyals a year earlier.

National Bank Of Oman Q1 Profit Rises 20%

The bank made a profit of $26.75 million in the first three months of 2014, according to a statement in Oman bourse.

Kuwait Finance House Q1 Profit Rises But Misses Estimates

Net profit rose to 26.06 million dinars in the first three months of 2014 from 23 million dinars in the same period a year ago.

Two Killed In Bahrain Car Explosion – Interior Ministry

The ministry said on its Twitter account the explosion was in the mostly Shi’ite village of al-Maqshaa’, outside of the capital Manama.