“Being Global Doesn’t Matter” – Frost & Sullivan

The GIL 2013 event in Dubai highlighted the importance of visionary innovation and megatrends in business.

Oman’s Bank Muscat Hit By $39m Prepaid Card Fraud

The lender said 12 prepaid travel cards were compromised outside of Oman.

Dubai’s DEWA To Print Sukuk This Week, Sets Price Talk

DEWA CEO Saeed Mohammed al-Tayer indicated last week that the sukuk would be $1 billion.

Dubai Airport Passenger Traffic Up 15% In January

Traffic rose to 5.56 million passengers from 4.85 million a year ago with freight volume also up.

Egypt Hot Air Balloon Crash Kills 19 Tourists

Nationals from Britain, France, Japan and Hong Kong are among the dead after a gas explosion at 1,000 feet.

Peru – UAE Exports Rise Record 35 Per Cent

Food and beverages, mining and construction are among the growth sectors.

UAE’s Etihad Rail Gets $1.28bn Loan For Project

The UAE’s national railway network will span 1,200 kilometres and form part of the planned Gulf-wide railway network.

Qatar Telecom Rebrands As Ooredoo

All operations in which Qtel owns a controlling interest will rebranded under the new name.

Abu Dhabi Royal Scraps Agreement For $45bn Pakistan Property Project

Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak has cancelled the deal less than two weeks after it was signed.

Chinese Bank ICBC ME Posts 69% Rise In 2012 Profit

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China’s Middle East unit posted a pre-tax profit of $54 million in 2012.

Barca Extend Etisalat Sponsorship Deal To June 2017

The deal confirms Etisalat as FC Barcelona’s main sponsor in UAE, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Benin, Togo, Niger, Gabon and the Central African Republic.

Dubai Fund ICD In Talks For Islamic Bond

Investment Corporation of Dubai, which controls some of Dubai’s top companies, expects to complete a deal this year.

GCC Food Consumption To Hit $106bn By 2018

Food is the largest segment of consumer expenditure in the region and stood at $83 billion year-end 2012, says new report.

Pictures: $75M Swiss Penthouse Targeted At Gulf Buyers

In return for their multimillion franc investment, owners will receive “full on effortless living”

Exclusive: Aujan To Expand Into Asia, Africa

The Saudi-based juice manufacturer, which signed a $1 billion deal with Coca-Cola in 2011, plans to launch Rani and Barbican brands in international markets.

Oman Seeks Consolidation In Financial Sector

There are now 18 banks in the sultanate after last year’s merger between the local business of HSBC Holdings and Oman International Bank.

Fiat Chrysler Group ME Sees 2012 Record Year

The U.S. car manufacturer – which houses the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram brands – sold 25,321 vehicles in the region.

QNB Bid For 100% Of Soc Gen Approved

Qatar National Bank had planned to buy 77 per cent of National Societe Generale Bank last year.

Etisalat Picks Banks For $6bn Maroc Telecom Stake

Etisalat is talking to banks about a syndicated loan of up to $8 billion to finance the potential transaction.

Arqaam Hires Ex-Credit Suisse Banker To Head Equity Sales

Wafik Nsouli will take charge as executive director and head of institutional equity sales

UAE’s Tabreed To Issue Bonds To Mubadala As Dividend

The Dubai-listed company has proposed to pay a cash dividend of 5 fils per share to its shareholders.

Kerry Makes First Foreign Trip To Middle East

The top U.S. diplomat will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE in his nine-country whistle stop tour.

Emirates LNG Leases Land For UAE Gas Import Terminal

Once complete, the facility will have the capacity to import nine million tons per annum of LNG.

Emaar Shares Hit 51-Month High Ahead Of Dividends

The Dubai developer’s shares jumped 4.6 per cent to hit Dhs5.15, its highest close since November 2008.

Rotana To Debut In Turkey

Twin projects near Istanbul target leisure travellers as operator seeks new revenue opportunities outside GCC

Turkish Airlines To Spend $120m On Ads This Year

The carrier’s recent advertisement featuring sports stars Lionel Messi and Kobe Bryant has received over 102 million YouTube hits.

Industries Qatar Q4 Net Misses Forecasts

The Gulf’s second-largest chemical producer made a net profit of 1.8 billion riyals ($494.4 million) for the fourth quarter.

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank To Issue Two-Tranche Bond

The UAE lender will issue a benchmark-sized five-year bond and also a ten-year subordinated deal.

Qatar Holding To Seek Credit Ratings This Year

The Qatar sovereign has ratings of Aa2 from Moody’s and AA from S&P, and was in the bond market last summer with a $4 billion sukuk issue.

UAE Etihad’s Pause Highlights India Investment Risk

Etihad’s pause over taking a stake in Jet Airways highlights the difficulties Gulf investors have faced in India.