UAE Lender NBAD Beats Forecasts With 28% Q4 Net Profit Rise

NBAD made a net profit of Dhs1.372 billion ($373 million) in the last quarter of 2014.

Yasref Refinery In Saudi Arabia To Load 2nd Diesel Cargo On Thursday

The 400,000 bpd refinery, which is currently running at about 60 per cent of capacity, started gasoline output this week.

Henkel Named Dubai Lynx Advertiser Of The Year For 2015

The company won five golds and a grand prix during the Dubai Lynx awards last year.

Qatari-Led Group Wins $4bn Battle For Canary Wharf

Songbird said it still thought the offer undervalued the company but with no rival offer forthcoming it recommended its shareholders to accept the deal.

Kuwaiti Telecom Group Zain May Sell Transmitter Towers

A source familiar with the matter said that Citigroup had been hired to look into options for Zain’s towers.

Sharjah Ruler Approves Largest Budget, Hikes Spending By 12%

The 2015 budget will also provide job opportunities to 1,000 Emiratis, a finance department official said.

Oman Bank Dhofar Proposes 10% Cash, 10% Bonus Share Dividend

The bank’s proposed 2014 dividend is equivalent to $0.03 per share in cash and one free share for every 10 a shareholder owns.

Apple iPhone Sales Trample Expectations As Profit Sets Global Record

The company sold 74.5 million iPhones in its fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 27.

Dubai’s Drake & Scull Wins $54m Engineering Contract

Drake & Scull Engineering will provide MEP services for an under-construction hotel and apartment complex.

UAE Summons Iraqi Ambassador Over Flydubai Shooting In Baghdad

Gunshots were fired at the flydubai flight when it was landing at Baghdad airport on Monday evening.

At Least Eight Killed As Gunmen Storm Hotel In Libyan Capital

Two armed gunmen stormed into the five-star Corinthia Hotel and fired at guests before blowing themselves up with a grenade.

Obama And Saudi King Discuss Iran, Energy In Symbolic Visit

Obama cut short a trip to India to fly to Riyadh, and was joined on the four-hour visit by a big delegation.

Sony To Cut 1,000 Jobs In Smartphone Business – Nikkei

The cuts are in addition to the 1,000 jobs Sony said it would eliminate in its mobile unit in October, Japan’s Nikkei reported.

Saudi’s Samba Proposes SAR8bn Bonus Share Issue To Raise Capital

The lender will increase its capital to SAR20 billion from retained earnings by issuing two shares for every three shares held.

UAE To Issue New Rules To Regulate Drones

New regulations being planned by the UAE will ban the use of UAVs near airports, residential areas and other public properties.

Kuwait’s Gulf Bank Q4 Net Profit Climbs 10.7%, Proposes Stock Dividend

Net profit for the three months to the end of December was 8.97 million dinars ($30.4 million), compared to 8.1 million dinars in the year-earlier period.

Zain Saudi Gets Regulator Nod For Second Capital Cut

The company has yet to make a quarterly profit since launching service in 2008.

UAE Fund ADFG Targets $100m Finance Buyout By June – CEO

It would be the third purchase by the privately-owned investment firm in the non-banking financial services sector in recent months.

Obama To Bolster Crucial Saudi Alliance Amid Mideast Unrest

Obama’s visit comes as Washington struggles with worsening strife in the Middle East and counts Saudi Arabia among its few steady partners in the region.

Etihad Cancels New York Flight As Winter Storm Hits Northeast US

The Abu Dhabi airline is offering passengers travelling on January 27 and 28 the option to postpone their tickets.

Emirates Warns Of Currency Shifts Eating Into Fuel-Cost Benefits

The Dubai carrier is one of the few major airlines that does not hedge its fuel bill by buying future stocks of jet fuel to minimise the effect of price spikes.

In Saudi Talks, Obama To Balance Rights With Stability

US President Barack Obama will fly down to Riyadh on Tuesday to meet Saudi Arabia’s new king.

Rents In Dubai May Fall Up To 10% In 2015; Rent Index Changes Mulled

The Dubai residential bubble has “deflated,” with transaction prices expected to fall up to 10 per cent this year, says JLL.

Dubai International Secures Spot Of World’s Busiest Airport In 2014

Authorities have forecast that 79 million passengers will travel through Dubai International Airport in 2015.

Abu Dhabi Bank UNB Posts 42% Q4 Net Profit Gain; Hikes Dividend

The bank reported a net profit of Dhs436 million ($118.7 million) in the last quarter of 2014.

UAE’s Majid Al Futtaim Reports Pre-Tax Profit Growth Of 10% In 2014

The retail group said that it aims to double the size of its business within the next five years.

Regional Airlines Suspend Baghdad Flights After Airplane Shooting

Emirates Airlines, flydubai, Air Arabia and Etihad Airways suspended flights on Tuesday, in line with a directive from the UAE’ civil aviation authority.

Gourmet Date Company Bateel To Sell Minority Stake – Sources

A stake of between 20 per cent and 40 per cent could be sold, according to three sources with knowledge of the sale.

Dubai-Luxembourg Firm Launches Islamic Factoring For SMEs

Tawreeq Holdings developed the concept over the past year and a half, aiming to give smaller firms a funding alternative to bank loans.

Bullets Hit Flydubai Passenger Jet At Baghdad Airport

An aviation official and a security official told Reuters that two passengers were lightly injured but the airline has denied such reports.