Gulf Can Cope With Cheaper Oil, IMF Says As Bourses Plunge

GCC states should rein in state spending, but in a gradual way to avoid hurting economic growth.

UAE Economy Minister Says Can Keep Spending Despite Oil

The country’s large fiscal reserves will allow it to keep spending on development projects.

Dubai’s Economy Coping Well With Global Difficulties – Sheikh Ahmed

Sheikh Ahmed also said the government would seek to control inflation to keep the emirate competitive in business terms.

Former British Regulator Sants To Advise Abu Dhabi Financial Zone

Hector Sants will advise the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) on the creation of its regulatory framework and its strategy.

Emirates To Start A380 Flights To Perth

Emirates set to be first airline to fly the A380 to Perth next summer

Stock News: Dubai Tumbles To One-Year Low On Weak Oil

The Dubai equities benchmark tumbled 7.7 per cent to 3,068 points, a one-year low.

UAE Says No Need For Emergency OPEC Meeting, Market Will Fix Itself

UAE Oil Minister Suhail Bin al-Mazroui’s came as brent prices neared $60 a barrel.

Saudi Prince Alwaleed’s Alarab News Channel To Go Live On Feb 1

The Arabic language news channel, based in Bahrain, was initially slated to begin airing in end-2012.

Kuwaiti Ship, Egyptian Fishing Boat Collide In Red Sea, Killing 13

The collision is at least the second such recent incident involving vessels passing through the Suez Canal.

Abu Dhabi’s Aldar To Cut Debt By Over A Third Within Two Years

The reduction is down to Aldar using some of the money due from Abu Dhabi’s government to repay debt, its CFO said.

Police Storm Sydney Cafe To End Hostage Siege, Three Dead

Authorities have not publicly identified the gunman, but a police source named him as Man Haron Monis, an Iranian refugee.

Dubai Health Authority Shuts Down Four Health Clinics Over Quality Issues

Facilities that have been shut down include a day-care surgery centre, a plastic surgery clinic, an aesthetics clinic and a dermatology clinic.

Middle East CFOs’ Optimism Highest In Three Years- Study

The majority of CFOs in the UAE reported a rise in optimism despite political turmoil in the region, a new survey says.

World Expo Organiser BIE Sends Delegation To Dubai

The delegation, which includes the secretary general of the BIE, is checking on the progress of Expo 2020 Dubai.

Islamist Group Criticises Egypt Over Arrest Warrant For Cleric

Interpol this month issued a Red Notice alert for Sheikh Youssef al-Qaradawi in connection with several alleged offences including murder, arson, vandalism and theft.

Gunmen Take Hostage In Belgium, No Islamist Link Seen

Belgian police cordoned off part of the city after the four men were seen entering the building in the Dampoort district, where they took a hostage.

UAE’s Dana Gas Says Kurdistan Government Failed To Pay $100m

Dana warned that the Kurdistan’s government could face sanctions if the autonomous region failed to pay the money to its consortium.

Dur Hospitality Inks Deal With IHG To Operate Hotels In Saudi Arabia

As per the deal, a number of Holiday Inn & Suites branded hotels will be developed across the Kingdom over the next five years, IHG said in a statement.

Abu Dhabi Businessman Gets Loan Of Up To $800m For Travelex Purchase

The facility, arranged by Goldman Sachs and Qatar National Bank for B. R. Shetty, will last for 18 months, according to one of the sources.

Hostages Flee Besieged Sydney Cafe As Police Seek Bloodless End

The mid-morning hostage-taking brought much of Sydney’s CBD to a standstill and saw the local currency fall.

Bahraini Telco Viva Eyes Data Growth As Per-User Call Income Falls

Voice calls accounted for 64 per cent of the operators’ revenues in 2013, data was 18 per cent, text messaging four per cent and subscription payments 14 per cent in Bahrain.

Huge Gap Of Women Leaders In The Middle East – Mercer

A quarter of organisations in the region have no women leaders in their 100 most senior roles, a survey by Mercer found.

Stock News: Dubai, Other Gulf Markets Rebound On Stronger Oil

Brent crude climbed above $62 per barrel on Monday, after hitting 5-1/2-year lows of $60.28 earlier.

Qatar’s Barwa Real Estate Wins $206m Warehouse Contract

The 25-year arrangement was awarded by state-owned Manateq.

Saudi Arabian Security Man Shot Dead In Riyadh – Police

A gunman holding three labourers hostage shot dead a member of the security forces when police tried to free the captives.

Australia’s Currency Drops As Sydney Hostage Drama Continues

At least one gunman has taken several people hostage at a central Sydney cafe.

Why Are Oil Prices So Unstable?

Deep price cycles are inherent in capital intensive industries like oil and mining, writes Reuters columnist John Kemp.

Kuwait Working To Improve Stock Exchange Conditions

New changes would cover market mechanisms and the operations of market makers.

Kuwait May Cut Planned Spending Next Fiscal Year – Parliament

Officials are estimating budget spending at KD19 billion in the fiscal year starting next April.

Stock News: Qatar Enters Bear Market As Dubai Erases 2014 Gains

Dubai’s gauge wiped out this year’s advances as oil prices plummeted to the lowest level since July 2009.