First Look: Dubai Marriott Hotel Al Jaddaf

Marriott’s latest Dubai property has short-stay executives and long-stay contract workers firmly in its sights

Bahrain Suspends Reconciliation Talks With Opposition Groups

The breakdown raises the prospect of more political instability in the country.

Just Falafel Plans 160 New Restaurants In US, Canada

The UAE restaurant chain has signed five area franchise agreements with different partners across North America.

Saudi Hospital Group To Build Hospital, University In Dubai

The 300-bed hospital university project is expected to offer 4,000 new jobs and will target the residents of Dubai Silicon Oasis.

Saudi Hollandi Bank Q4 Net Profit 347.3m Riyals

The bank’s net profit for the quarter was boosted by a 22 per cent jump in total operating income to 671.1 million riyals.

UAE Takes Charge Of ADCO Oilfields

A current deal with ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, Total and BP expires on January 11.

Emirate Of Sharjah Raises Profile With Sovereign Credit Rating

Moody’s assigned an A3 government bond rating to the Sharjah government on Wednesday, while Standard & Poor’s rated it A.

Kuwait’s Agility Appoints Tarek Sultan As CEO

Sultan, who was previously the chairman and managing director, will take up the position of deputy chairman.

Saudi’s Riyad Bank Posts 27.2% Q4 Net Profit Jump

Saudi Arabia’s third-largest lender by assets saw Q4 profit grow as income rose and expenses declined.

Oman’s Household Income Rises 83.9% In A Decade

The Muscat governorate recorded the highest average household income of $3,789 per month.

Alitalia’s Chairman Likely To Stay On For Talks With Etihad

Roberto Colaninno said in October he would step down after a 300-million-euro capital increase, completed at the end of December.

Controversy Over FIFA Comments On Qatar 2022 World Cup Timing

FIFA backtracks on comments made by secretary general Jerome Valcke that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar would not be played in the summer.

Hiring For Expo 2020 To Begin By 2016

Construction, banking, travel and hospitality are sectors that will witness a rise in hiring activity.

Saudi Aramco To Skip Diesel Term Imports On Delivered Basis

The Saudi firm might instead focus on tying up term contracts on a free-on-board basis with sellers like India’s Reliance Industries.

Emirates Launches Daily A380 Service To Switzerland

Zurich is the Dubai carrier’s 25th A380 destination.

ME-Africa Trade Corridors To Grow In 2014 – Aramex CEO

Hussein Hachem, CEO of Aramex, says Africa-Middle East trade corridors have expanded alongside the growth of Africa’s economy.

Dubai Chamber To Open New Office In Iraqi Kurdistan In 2014

Iraq holds significant potential for Dubai businesses, says Hamad Buamim, president and CEO of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

S&P Assigns Sharjah Sovereign Credit Rating Of ‘A’

The rating is supported by the government’s limited fiscal risks and low government debt.

Investors Switch To Kuwait, Oman As UAE Weakens

The Dubai index is developing a negative 14-week momentum divergence.

GCC Healthcare Spending To Grow 11.4% By 2015

The GCC’s healthcare industry has been seeing a rise in the number of private sector players.

Zain Invested $1bn In Network Upgrades In 2013 – CEO

The telecom operator plans to focus on ICT and enterprise solutions in the future, says CEO Scott Gegenheimer.

Emiratis Can Earn More In Private Sector – Al Mulla

Private sector can provide Emiratis more exposure and experience in their careers, says a top government official.

Noor Islamic Bank Rebrands, Removes Islamic From Name

The bank will continue to offer shari’a compliant products, but hopes to widen its appeal to customers.

UAE’s Credit Bureau To Start Operating In Q1 – CEO

The bureau hopes to complete agreements with banks to provide credit information and create an electronic database by the end of January.

Middle East Salaries To Rise 3.8% In 2014

Newly hired finance professionals are expected to see the largest salary hike at five per cent.

Job Creation Big Issue For Middle East In 2014 – V.Shankar

V.Shankar also questioned the changes resulting from the U.S.’s emergence as a shale gas producer.

Investcorp Acquires Minority Stake In Turkish Food Producer

Investcorp recently bought a 25 per cent stake in Saudi Arabia’s sports and fitness business Leejam Sports Co.

Kuwait Appoints Islamist MP As Oil Minister In Reshuffle

Anas al-Saleh, a former minister for commerce and industry, was selected to head the Finance Ministry, replacing Sheikh Salem Abdulaziz al-Sabah.

Flydubai Firms Up Boeing Airshow Order

The confirmed $8.8 billion order, placed at the Dubai Airshow, provides the foundations for the low-cost carrier’s next growth phase.

Saudi Arabia Introduces Unemployment Insurance

The move is designed to make it more attractive for young Saudis to seek jobs in private companies.