Emirates President – 2012/13 Income To Rise 18-20%

The airline boss said the company’s income will rise substantially in the current financial year despite high fuel prices.

Bank Muscat Forecasts 14-15% Growth

Oman will again spend heavily in 2013 on job creation and infrastructure projects.

Dubai’s Shuaa Capital Q4 Loss Narrows

The Dubai investment bank has laid off a third of its staff since 2011 and slashed operating costs.

Emirates Expects New 777 Model In Nine Months

Tim Clark, Emirates’ president, has said Dreamliner problems will not affect progress of the new 777X.

UAE’s Camelicious Given EU Export Licence

EICMP will become the first Middle Eastern producer to export camel milk-based products to Europe.

UAE’s Dana Gas Sells Part Of MOL Stake

Hungarian oil and gas group MOL’s shares were down 4.1 per cent on Friday, a five-week low.

Japan To Loan Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. $3bn

The loan is expected to help Japan win new and renewing energy concessions.

Saudi To Sign Emergency Oil Supply With Japan

The agreement would allow Japan to quickly seek additional oil supplies via a telephone hotline.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Reports Q4 Profit Drop

Decline was expected but still beat forecasts thanks to 10.8 per cent fall in impairments.

Saudi’s Mobily Raises Capital With Bonus Share Offer

The company enjoyed better than predicted profit growth last quarter of $501 million.

Oman Raises Minimum Wage To Avert Future Protests

Expatriate numbers are to be reduced from 39 per cent of Oman’s population to 33 per cent.

The Agricultural Boom Has Only Just Begun

Farming commodities offer enormous opportunities for long-term investors, says Mark McFarland, chief investment strategist, Emirates NBD Private Banking.

UAE Banks To Repay Crisis Capital As Value Diminishes

The UAE’s finance ministry placed Dhs70 billion with banks to shore up their balance sheets after the the financial crisis in 2008.

Long-Term Thinking About Oil Prices

Forecasts about nominal prices far in the future, and comparisons with past prices are “meaningless”.

Oil Rises Above $117 Ahead Of ECB Meeting

Brent has steadily risen over the past three weeks as positive economic data in key economies boosted the outlook for oil consumption.

Qatar Posts $26bn Budget Surplus In Q2

More than double the 42.2 billion riyal surplus recorded in the same quarter of the previous year.

Number Of Bounced Cheques In UAE Drops 8.5%

Payments worth a total of Dhs46.8 billion were marked as invalid in 2012, a drop of 15.3 per cent.

Gulf’s Mixed Takaful Rules Hurting Margins

Lack of coordination among regulators is making life difficult for takaful operators, says insurance rating agency.

UAE Expats Worried Over Retirement Plans

Study finds 56 per cent of workers are worried about their future finance plans after work.

Over 61,000 Illegal Residents Leave UAE On Amnesty

The UAE government’s two-month amnesty programme ended on February 4, 2013.

Tunisian Government Dissolved After Critic’s Killing Causes Fury

Chokri Belaid, a left-wing lawyer, was gunned down on Wednesday, leading to street protests across the country.

Location, New Rules May Aid Dubai’s Islamic Business Push

The emirate has set its sights on becoming a global centre for Islamic business activity.

Review: BlackBerry Z10

BlackBerry Z10 is a sleek, feature-filled device that certainly has the capacity to help the brand survive.

Prepare For Bear Market In Bonds – Coutts Middle East

The private bank’s chief investment officer warns of losing money in Islamic bonds this year.

Microsoft Tops Best Companies To Work For In UAE

Marriott and FedEx Express join the computer giant for the second year in a row in the top three.

UAE Banks Recommend 75% Mortgage Cap For Expats

The Emirates Banks Association has sent its recommendations on proposed mortgage caps to the UAE central bank.

Abu Dhabi’s TAQA 2012 Net Profit Drops 14%

Abu Dhabi National Energy Co (TAQA) attributed the fall in profit to lower gas prices and tax charges.

Dubai’s Deyaar Reports 2.3% Rise In 2012 Net Profit

The property developer made a net profit of Dhs38.6 million last year.

Banyan Tree Seeks Investors For UAE Expansion

CEO targets new partnerships for Dubai and Abu Dhabi properties

Jeddah Among World’s Top 10 Cheapest Cities

The Saudi Arabian city offers a “cheap cost of living in a more stable environment,” says new survey.