Etisalat May Restructure

The telecoms operator said it is discussing restructuring options as it struggles to stall dropping profits.

QIA Buys Credit Suisse London HQ

Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund acquired the building for an undisclosed sum and has now leased it back to the bank.

ENBD Plans Renminbi Bond Sale

The bank has mandated Emirates NBD Capital, HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank to arrange investor meetings.

Australia Launches Mega GCC Drive

Victoria’s $16.5 billion tourism industry has benefitted from Emirates’ marketing efforts, which include the Melbourne Cup

MENA, Russia Trade To Grow 14%

The region’s trade with Russia, India and China is set to grow much faster than trade with developed economies.

ME’s Wealthy On The Rise

The region may even top the world in terms of growth of wealthy individuals this year, according to experts.

11.8mn Ride Dubai Metro’s Green Line

The recently inaugurated Green Line saw more than 11.8 million passengers during its first five months.

Dar al-Arkan To Repay $990mn

Saudi Arabia’s biggest property developer, Dar al-Arkan, plans to repay 3.7 billion riyals of debt this year, said CFO .

Gulf Funds Eyeing ONGC Stakes

Sovereign wealth funds from the UAE and Kuwait have reportedly agreed to buy stakes in India’s ONGC.

GCC Population To Hit 49.8mn

Greater demand for expatriate workers boosts GCC population growth.

DIFCI Hires Advisors For $1.25bn Bond

The DIFCI bond is in the spotlight as investors weigh Dubai’s refinancing risks in 2012.

Egypt Signs $3.2 bn IMF loan

Egypt expects to sign the IMF loan next month and will receive one-third of the funds immediately upon signing, said minister.

Iran Could Survive Sanctions

Tightening sanctions against Iran look set to shrink its economy but it won’t be a knock-out blow.

Political Risks To Watch In KSA

Changes in the royal line have raised questions about the direction and pace of gradual economic and social reforms.

Al Arab To Adopt New Voice

Prince Alwaleed says his upcoming Arabic news channel will stand out from the competition.

Saudi Arabia’s Lost Cities

The New Economic Cities announced six years ago are yet to begin contributing to Saudi’s economy.

China Sends Syrian Envoy

China’s Foreign Ministry said it would send a senior diplomat to Syria for talks on Friday.

Brent Falls On Greece Woes

Brent crude slips to $118 as a final decision on Greece’s bailout package faces a possible delay.

ENBD Q4 2011 Profit Fall

The bank reported that net profit for the full year increased by six per cent from 2010.

A damp 2011 For GCC IPOs

Issuers and investors remained wary of volatility in the capital markets, according to PwC.

QNB Prices $1bn Bond

The bond was five times oversubscribed and received orders from more than 270 investors globally.

Dubai Will Support State Entities

The Dubai government will continue to help government-related bodies, says Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum.

Oman MoH Signs Deals Worth $3.9mn

The agreements were signed between Oman’s health ministry and Oman LNG.

Kuwait Issues Smoking Ban

Smoking cigarettes and shisha in most public places will now be punishable by law.

Kuwait’s Central Bank Governor Resigns

Sheikh Salem Abdul-Aziz al-Sabah blamed a rise in public spending for his decision.

Mashreq Loans $80mn To Gulf Air

The struggling Bahraini carrier will use the amount to meet its medium-term capital needs.

Saudi Blogger Deported From Malaysia

The columnist fled Saudi Arabia after his comments on Twitter caused an outrage in the kingdom.

SABIC, Sinopec In $5.3bn Contract

The two companies are in negotiations to build a methanol complex in Trinidad and Tobago.

Etihad Reports $14mn Net Profit

This is the first time that the UAE airline, started eight years ago, has recorded a profit.

Batelco Sells STel Stake

The Bahraini telecoms operator will receive $174.5 million, the same amount that it paid to purchase the stake in the Indian firm.