Middle East Ranked Among Top 10 Global Luxury Markets In 2014

Increased tourist flows to the region have catapulted the Middle East into the top global market for luxury spending, a new report says

BlackBerry To Launch New Classic In UAE Before Year-End

The phone, priced at Dhs1799, is modeled around BlackBerry’s popular Bold 9900.

Kellogg Outbids Abraaj For Third Time In Race For Egypt’s Bisco

Kellogg said on Thursday that it would improve its offer to 86.36 Egyptian pounds per share, hoping to secure the deal.

Stock News: Gulf Markets Surge As Oil Rebounds; Dubai Up 13%

Stock markets in Saudi Arabia and the UAE soared on Thursday as the price of oil rebounded.

UAE’s Abraaj Group Buys Stake In Algeria-Based Logistics Firm

The company did not disclose the value of the deal of the size of the stake it acquired in FBA.

Qatar 2022 World Cup: FIFA Ethics Investigator Garcia Resigns In Protest

The former US prosecutor said he had lost confidence in the independence of the FIFA ethics committee’s adjudicatory chamber.

Two UAE And Two Egyptian Military Officers Die In Plane Crash

The officers were killed on Wednesday when their plane crashed during a joint exercise in Egypt.

Abraaj Tops Kellogg Again In Bisco Misr Takeover Battle

The regulator has yet to approve Abraaj’s new offer.

PepsiCo Opens New Manufacturing Plant in Saudi, To Create 300 Jobs

The new snacks manufacturing facility, in Dammam, is the company’s 15th facility in the Middle East.

Fitch Rates GCC Banks As Stable In 2015 Despite Oil Price Slide

The ratings agency said that large government funded infrastructure projects will continue to drive growth in the GCC even if oil prices slide.

Stock News: Gulf Markets Stabilise After Sharp Drops

A wave of panic selling wiped out $49 billion of stock market value across the Gulf Arab economies on Tuesday.

OPEC Signals “Wait And See” Approach Could Last A Year

Oil has lost almost half its value since this year’s peak of $115 per barrel in June on slower global demand and the U.S. shale oil boom.

Captain, Officer Of Kuwaiti Ship Detained After Deadly Collision

The Kuwaiti ship collided with a fishing vessel in the Red Sea, killing 13 Egyptians.

Serbia’s Central Bank Issues Licence To UAE’s Mirabank

The bank is expected to start its regular operations by the end of March 2015.

Stock News: Gulf Markets Tumble, Lose $49bn, As Oil Slides Below $60

Dubai’s index closed 7.3 per cent lower at 3,084 points, a one-year low, while Abu Dhabi’s benchmark ended 6.9 per cent lower on Tuesday.

Brent Falls Below $60 For First Time Since 2009

Oil futures have almost halved since June amid rising output and cooling demand.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Australia’s Currency Drops As Sydney Hostage Drama Continues

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

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.

Dubai-Based Retailer Al Ghurair To Launch 30 New Stores In The GCC

The latest addition will see Al Ghurair’s retail presence in the region increase to 90 shops from the 60 it currently operates in the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar.

Syrian Wins Arab Idol Contest, Steers Clear Of Politics

Hazim Sharif steered clear of specific political references in interviews after his victory, which was broadcast to millions of viewers across the Middle East.