Dirty Offices Cost ME Firms Dhs2m

Poorly maintained offices are proving very expensive for businesses in the region, according to a new survey.

Bahrain To Open New Dragon City

Chinese firm Chinamex is building a multi-million-dinar Chinese-themed retail shopping mall in Manama.

Aabar Clarifies Arabtec Stake

Aabar said that it had only raised its stake in Arabtec to 20.7 per cent and not 53 per cent as previously reported.

IEA Warns Of High Oil Prices

High oil prices “pose a real threat to the economic recovery” says the International Energy Agency.

Dubai Plans New Safari Project

The Dhs150 million project will replace the existing zoo and will also include a butterfly park and golf courses.

Kuwait’s Finances Concern IMF

The IMF questions Kuwait’s fiscal stimulus and warns of the sustainability of public finances.

ADIB Q1 Profit Up 5.8%

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank reported that revenues rose 7.3 per cent to reach Dhs874.8 million during the period.

Dubai Investments Posts Q1 Profit Hike

The Dubai investment conglomerate recorded a revenue drop of three per cent during the period.

RAK Airport Q1 Visitors Up 58.5%

The airport is increasing passenger capacity from 250,000 to two million in the next 12 to 18 months.

Abu Dhabi Prices Rise 1.1% In Q1

Average food and beverage prices rose sharply during the period, according to official statistics.

New Saudi Airlines Launch By Q1 2013

Saudi’s GACA says new international airline licences will be operational by April next year.

Saudi Eyes $100 Per Barrel Oil Price

The Kingdom’s oil minister Ali al-Naimi said that an oil price of $100 per barrel would be “great.”

Qatar Buys Stake In Shell Oil

Qatar Investment Authority has reportedly acquired between three to five per cent of oil major Royal Dutch Shell.

Qatar Picks Banks For Sukuk- Sources

Qatar has reportedly mandated five banks to help arrange a new sovereign Islamic bond.

OPEC Says Oil Supply Is Plentiful

The oil producing group said that crude oil supply was in excess of market requirements.

Open Skies Aims High

The Emirates’ inflight magazine will produce its June issue from the world’s highest office, at Burj Khalifa.

Containing Corruption

Laws exist to regulate governance standards in the UAE, but the country’s culture needs to change, say experts.

Abu Dhabi Eyes The Big Apple

The emirate is planning a massive advertising campaign in New York’s Times Square to attract more US visitors.

Emirates Posts 72% Drop In 2011 Profit

The airline said that despite an increase in revenue, its profit was hit by rising fuel costs and unrest in the region.

Du Posts 62% Q1 Profit Hike

The telecoms operator posted a net profit of Dhs333.1 million during the first quarter of the year.

Toyota Posts 30.5% FY Profit Fall

The Japanese car manufacturer reported that its net profit for the year to March reached $3.5 billion.

Al Baraka Bank Posts Q1 Profit Rise

The Bahraini lender’s net profit rose seven per cent during the first quarter of the year to reach $57.4 million.

Alwaleed’s Rotana To Shift To Bahrain

Prince Alwaleed’s upcoming news channel, Al Arab will also be headquartered in Manama.

Mubadala To Spend $5.5bn In 2012

The Abu Dhabi investment fund said that a majority of its expenditure will relate to its semiconductor unit ATIC.

Arabtec Triples Q1 Profit

The construction firm made a net profit of Dhs84.1 million during the first quarter of the year.

Aabar Signs $2bn China Property Deal

Under the agreement, China State Construction develop real estate projects in Abu Dhabi.

MENA Ad Spend Fell 10.3% In 2011

Regional advertising spend is expected to pick up in the next few years and reach $5.95 billion by 2015.

Top Hotels To Hire 50,000 In MENA

Five international hotel brands are planning to hire almost 50,000 staff in the region over the next three to five years.

Jebel Ali Port To Get Rail Terminal

Etihad Rail and DP World have signed an agreement to develop an intermodal rail terminal in Jebel Ali Port.

Alwaleed Eyes New Investments

The Saudi billionaire is looking for returns of 20 to 25 per cent from the investments, he told a German paper.