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May 23, 2013

The work of the Ministry of Finance is being obstructed at every corner by bureaucracy and an IT system that presents more problems than solutions. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)
13:18 GMT
The Union Coordination Committee Wednesday accused the Finance Ministry of intentionally submitting salary scale bills with errors in them in a bid to delay the ratification of a wage hike in Parliament.
Egypt to boost fuel supply to ease po2wer shortages
12:13 GMT
The Egyptian government said on Wednesday it would supply more gas and diesel to power stations to deal with electricity shortages that have worsened in recent months after the cash-strapped country failed to import enough fuel.
Juba accused Khartoum of instructing oil companies to stop production from some oil fields
12:02 GMT
South Sudan's oil minister said late on Wednesday that it had resumed oil production and flow to the international markets through the territory of neigbouring Sudan after a temporary blockage at Jebellen.
It did not say how much currency it actually sold
11:57 GMT
Egypt's central bank kept the price of the country's currency steady against the dollar at a special $800 million foreign exchange auction on Wednesday, called to help importers pay for wheat, meat, cooking oil and other essential imports.
Jordanin Police keep guard as Syrian refugees look on at the King Abdullah Refugee Camp for Syrian refugees 2 kilometers from the Syrian border  (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
11:47 GMT
The World Bank has proposed a $150 million loan for Jordan to help it with the cost of thousands of Syrian refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria, Jordanian and World Bank board sources said on Wednesday.
The oversubscription of the issue demonstrates increasing investor appetite for sukuk
11:45 GMT
Bank Alkhair, a Bahrain-headquartered Islamic wholesale bank, has announced the successful closure of the first tranche of a $750 million sukuk programme by Saudi Arabia's Dar Al Arkan real estate development company.
Pakistan had received similar help from the Saudis in 1998
11:03 GMT
Pakistan may get a bailout worth up to $15 billion from Saudi Arabia for its troubled energy sector, a Pakistani official told Dawn newspaper.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fared a little better
11:00 GMT
Crude oil prices fell below $100 for the first time since mid-2012 in April on seasonal factors and softening market fundamentals. This was followed by a small rebound in early May, according to NBK’s latest Economic Update.
Thomson Reuters and ICD announce the joint development of the Islamic Finance Development Indicator. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, president of the IDB Group, center, looks on.
06:00 GMT
The Islamic Development Bank Group has decided to increase its authorized capital from $ 45 billion (30 billion Islamic dinars) to $ 150 billion (100 billion dinars) on the recommendation of the two extraordinary Islamic summits held in Makkah.
Brands have also begun to appreciate the importance of digital.
06:00 GMT
Regional online advertising spend is growing at a rate of around 25-30 per cent every year.
The bus depot will redefine the bus service sector in Abu Dhabi
05:00 GMT
A new bus depot that can accommodate around 500 buses will be built in Abu Dhabi soon.
Those who want to take the gold iPad home with them will be able to buy them from the hotel’s boutique
05:00 GMT
Opulent devices provide guests with quicker access to services and part of wider technology push
The aircraft will be operated on long haul routes
05:00 GMT
Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, has placed an order for three A330-300s, growing its A330 Family fleet to a total of ten Airbus aircraft, according to a press release on Wednesday.
Newsweek.com will be entirely free to begin with, but there are plans to introduce a metered pay wall.
05:00 GMT
Newsweek re-launched the website in tandem with the US based design firm Huge, with three-to-five feature stories from Newsweek’s tablet edition (called Newsweek Global) will go live on the website.

May 22, 2013

Chevron is the second largest oil company in US
13:23 GMT
Chevron Corp is in advanced talks to sell most of its downstream assets in Egypt and Pakistan, three sources said, with the planned disposals seen raising around $300 million for the U.S. oil major.
Street vendor distributing bread in Egypt
13:08 GMT
The auction will be the central bank's second exceptional sale of foreign exchange. In April, it sold $600 million to pay for wheat, meat, cooking oil and other essential imports.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks at the State Department (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
13:00 GMT
US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Oman yesterday aiming to help finalize an estimated $ 2.1 billion deal to supply a US-made air-defense system to the Gulf nation.
Samand Soren is a new family saloon created by Iran Khodro Industrial Group in 2007.
11:36 GMT
Iranian carmaker Iran Khodro will establish an assembly line with the capacity of 30,000 units per year in the Iraqi city of Iskandariya by the next month.
Kuwaiti Parliament
11:19 GMT
A number of MPs expressed mixed reactions over the massive reshuffle on Monday in the oil sector, with some welcoming it and others strongly criticizing it as politically-motivated, while the opposition made no reaction to the changes.
Fruits and vegetables market
11:13 GMT
The largest fruit and vegetable factory has opened its doors to Saudi women for the first time, hiring 100 female employees and aiming to hire 300 more in the coming two years.
It is expected that the rents of apartments in the south and east of Jeddah to drop
11:09 GMT
Experts say the rent hikes were due to rising costs of building and renovation, and the increase in the wages of workers in the construction and management of building.
The IMF said a drop in oil output and lower crude prices would likely result in smaller fiscal surpluses in 2013.
06:06 GMT
Saudi economic growth will slow to 4.4 percent in 2013 from 6.8 percent last year due to an expected fall in oil production, and cuts in government spending, the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday.
Average Egyptian household spends 40.6 percent of its expenditures on food
05:40 GMT
Poverty and malnutrition increased in Egypt between 2009-2011, with spikes expected as inflation increases
Manufacturers are waiting for interest in hybrids to grow
05:00 GMT
Hybrid cars are reaching the Gulf in limited numbers. But those who want to do their bit for the environment, or make a statement, will have to dig deep into their resources.
The Lamar Towers project occupies a 34,800sqm plot
05:00 GMT
Drake & Scull Construction (DSC) the General Contracting Arm of Drake & Scull International PJSC (DSI) has announced that it has been awarded a SAR 1.725 billion (some $460 million) contract by Lamar Investment and Real Estate Development Co. to complete the Lamar Towers project in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Resolute policy action will be necessary this year
05:00 GMT
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not concerned about Dubai’s ability to repay its estimated $48 billion of debt obligations, according to the director of its Middle East and Central Asia department.

May 21, 2013

Developed markets poured leveraged capital into the UAE
13:30 GMT
The UAE is increasingly becoming a preferred destination for foreign private capital as the country proved a safe haven for investors amid the political turmoil in the Arab world.
Brent crude rose 16 cents to $104.80 a barrel
11:46 GMT
Benchmark oil for June delivery gained 69 cents to close at $96.71 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The ministry will hand unskilled jobs to locals eventually
10:49 GMT
INJAZ Saudi Arabia said the country needs a number of qualified executives and skilled manpower to drive the economy and make the best of the current economic boom in the Kingdom.
"Annual credit growth is likely to be closer to 14-17% y-o-y"
10:11 GMT
Qatar’s banks’ credit is likely to grow by 14% to 17% year-on-year (y-o-y) in 2013, much lower than the average 27% expansion seen in the previous two years, according to a Barclays study.
The International Monetary Fund
10:03 GMT
Inflation in Egypt is expected to climb to 10.9 percent this year, the highest level since 2010, the International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday, more than it expected in April.
Abu Dhabi Corniche
06:00 GMT
A good part of the funds would be invested towards the development of the emirate’s Western Region.
Air Arabia
05:00 GMT
Air Arabia said on Monday it has signed a $350 million financing deal from a syndicate of two GCC banks — Qatar National Bank (QNB Group) and Commercial Bank International (CBI).
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)
05:00 GMT
Dubai: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s conservation initiative saved Dh16 million in electricity and water, it was announced at the eighth Conservation Award for the educational sector.

May 20, 2013

Spending on interiors is expected to increase 28 per cent
13:48 GMT
The UAE is expected to be the biggest spender in the GCC on home interiors and fit-outs, with an estimated $1.5 billion (Dh5.5 billion) budget in 2013 as the country’s residential market continues to grow.
The road originally has seen the construction of 11 service projection lines
12:40 GMT
Work on a Dh267.5 million roads project will begin on an 80 kilometre two-lane highway that links Abu Dhabi’s third largest city with the Western Region.
The logo of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is seen at the headquarters building in Vienna on April 4, 2013 (ALEXANDER KLEIN/AFP/Getty Images)
11:51 GMT
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) will need to pump slightly more oil than it thought in 2013 and expects global consumption to be much higher in the rest of the year.
The City Hospital in Dubai
11:50 GMT
Medical tourism has been brought to the fore with renewed optimism and a host of projects as announced by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) on Sunday.
46 percent of Internet users in the UAE shop online
11:45 GMT
The arrival of PayPal promises to create a new landscape for online shopping.
The UAE wants more of its youth to be entrepreneurs.
10:46 GMT
The UAE wants more of its youth to be entrepreneurs.
Non-oil GDP rose to an expected 6.7pc in 2012
10:40 GMT
Bahrain's real gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have expanded 3.9 per cent last year from the 1.9pc growth seen in 2011.
Central Bank of Egypt
10:29 GMT
Yields on Egyptian three- and nine-month treasury bills climbed on Sunday and the auction's size was reduced after a new central bank decree limited the amount of funds that banks can channel into money market funds to buy T-bills.
 Turkey woos Gulf nationals as property investors
05:40 GMT
Priding itself as the gateway between Asia and Europe, Turkey is successfully attracting Gulf nationals to its real estate sector.
Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange
05:40 GMT
Dubai’s benchmark stock index rose to its highest closing level in almost four years while the Abu Dhabi market general index surged to its highest level since October 2008 on Sunday on the back of a rally in real estate and banking shares.
Central Bank of Egypt
05:00 GMT
Shura Council decision to raise taxes on loan loss provisions at nation's banks is met by anger; banking officials are slated to meet with newly-appointed finance minister to discuss issue.
The grants will be provided to outstanding students
05:00 GMT
The Governing Board at the American University in Dubai (AUD) approved Dh30 million (some $8.2) million in scholarships in its 2013-2014 annual budget.
World Bank end poverty campaign
02:11 GMT
The World Bank has approved a $30 million soft loan aimed at supporting a government initiative to improve access to basic services in impoverished parts of the country.

May 19, 2013

The airline currently has a backlog of 21 Boeing airplanes on order
14:15 GMT
Boeing has delivered a 777-300ER extended range plane to Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), marking the latest milestone in its longstanding relationship with the airline and the kingdom.
GCC currencies
13:41 GMT
Gulf hydrocarbon producers emerged as the 13th most powerful economy in the world in 2011 while strong oil prices allowed them to become the fifth largest exporter with the highest trade surplus.
UAE’s international tourism receipts are somewhat close to $10 billion
12:39 GMT
The UAE is the world’s 31st popular tourism destination and the most popular in the Arab World, ahead of Egypt — ranked 32nd and Saudi Arabia ranked 35 — in terms of tourism receipts.
Saudi Arabia aspires to increase mutual trade with other countries
12:34 GMT
Saudi Arabia's nonoil exports to the Arab countries had increased five-fold compared to the past seven years.
Ever wondered why Oman Air cabin crew were so nice?
12:25 GMT
Oman Air has committed RO2mn ($5,2 million) to staff training in 2013, having already invested more than RO3.3mn (some $8 million) over the previous two years.
The performance of the UAE stock markets is broadly in line with the rise in global stock markets
11:27 GMT
Both the Dubai Financial Market and Abu Dhabi Securities Market are trading at a nearly four-year-high, reflecting a return of investor confidence.
Gold traders are predicting that demand will increase
11:14 GMT
Gold prices yesterday dropped to their lowest level for the second time in almost a month, sparking a shopping frenzy at gold shops across the Kingdom.
Ministry floats 11 tenders for Sharqiya internal roads
06:00 GMT
The Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources (MRMWR) has floated as many as 11 tenders for the design and construction of internal roads in South and North Sharqiya.
UAE trade surplus to hit $ 90.7 billion
06:00 GMT
The UAE economy growth is expected to lower to 3.9 percent in 2012 after a solid 2011, when the GDP expanded 5.2 percent led by high oil prices and a 10.2 percent increase in oil production.
Digital advertising spend in the region is expected to grow
05:00 GMT
While regional advertisers are aware that the industry is going 'mobile’, spend on digital advertising is still low.
Qatari banks will continue to look at international expansion in 2013-14
05:00 GMT
The banking system in Qatar has been robust, with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20 percent in assets from March 2008 - March 2012 and another 20 percent in the year to March 2013.
Omantel will offer redundant routed capacity with superior quality and the lowest latency
05:00 GMT
Omantel announced that it inked an agreement for another submarine cable, the 'Bay of Bengal Gateway' submarine cable system (BBG).

May 16, 2013

A sky view of Mecca, Saudi Arabia
14:36 GMT
Saudi Arabia will continue to make the most of the competitive advantage presented by its hydrocarbon reserves despite rising US shale oil production.
Retail showed the best performance among sectoral indices
13:04 GMT
The Saudi stock market recorded nominal gains yesterday, as the Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) closed higher to 7,147.42, adding 8.11 points or 0.11 percent for the entire day.
Credit is likely to maintain the current trajectory
12:57 GMT
Saudi banks continue to support the macroeconomic conditions by providing the necessary financing for local businesses.
Gas Prices Continue To Rise As Uprisings In Mideast Drive Price Of Crude Oil Up (Getty Images)
12:45 GMT
The Middle East is facing a double dilemma over the global competitiveness for oil in the future.
At least 20 percent of students say that they resort to political connections and 73 percent think that political connections are important to find jobs. (photo: Haitham Moussawi)
12:41 GMT
When Lebanese graduates begin looking for jobs, what does it actually mean to employ personal connections to improve employment chances?
Zaya Dubai will be the developers
11:42 GMT
Dubai-based Skai Holdings plans to build a $1 billion (Dh3.67 billion) hotel with over 200 serviced apartments on Palm Jumeirah.
Google was set to launch a music subscription service
11:40 GMT
“Expect to hear a lot of noise on new search products like Google Now and voice search integration.“
(Getty Images)
11:12 GMT
Alfa unrolled the country’s first commercial 4G data service in certain areas of Beirut Wednesday and Lebanon’s second mobile operator, touch, is set to follow suit next week.
Staff are angry and frustrated with their company’s policy
10:23 GMT
The firm in question has been keeping employees’ mobile phones under lock and key during working hours.
"The recovery in the economy is solid, the expectation is around 4 per cent"
10:16 GMT
Dubai’s benchmark index continued yesterday from where it ended on Tuesday, as stocks maintained their upward trend to set new highs since October 2009.
DSI has bid for mechanical works at Abu Dhabi’s midfield airport terminal project
05:40 GMT
“Abu Dhabi, I think, is expected to release a lot of work this year, including the building of the new Dh2 billion Khalifa hospital,” said Tabari.
A total of 2,940 trades were executed
04:40 GMT
Positive global equity markets rubbed off on the Muscat Securities Market general index, which closed Wednesday's trading up 0.53 per cent at 6,352.19.

May 15, 2013

Saudi Arabia has resorted to strong fiscal stimulus measures
13:57 GMT
Saudi Arabia’s real GDP is estimated to have expanded 6.8 percent in 2012.
The price has also recovered by $100
13:21 GMT
People usually rush to the sales in January to snap up the bargains and across Asia it has been the same story for gold since the price crash last month.
Bank Muscat
12:51 GMT
The private placement amounting to 5.28 per cent shareholding stems from the bank’s overall capital augmentation plan.
Something very odd is going on in global stock markets this summer
12:36 GMT
Stocks seem to be rising for no apparent reason.
Ashghal’s five-year projects include construction of more than 70 huge projects
11:55 GMT
The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) will invest $30 billion in building and infrastructure projects in the next five to seven years.
The region remain dependent on the price of oil for its prosperity
11:36 GMT
Nine percent is the equivalent of adding USD 10 billion to the Bahraini economy every year
 UAE researchers discover biodiesel to run motor engines
10:31 GMT
UAE researchers have discovered the oil extracted from microalgae as a promising alternative to diesel, saying it can run motor engines effectively without any modifications.
The group’s net production averaged 61,400 barrels of oil
10:27 GMT
Revenue from the sale of hydrocarbons during the period was Dh557 million ($152 million).
Premium growth was largely in the medical insurance business in UAE
01:23 GMT
Oman National Investment Corporation Holding (ONIC) has reported a net profit of RO3.08mn for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013.
The concept of supporting their employees in enhancing personal savings is still new for companies in the UAE
01:12 GMT
Some companies are slowly warming up to the idea of establishing an employee savings plan as an alternative to a pension scheme.

May 14, 2013

Central Bank of Oman
13:16 GMT
The Central Bank of Oman has urged licensed banks operating in the Sultanate to show more interest in financing small and medium enterprises.
Kuwaiti Parliament (Getty/AFP)
11:53 GMT
Kuwait’s GDP has been forecast to grow 1.1 per cent in 2013 as oil prices and production stabilises.
Jazan Economic City
11:31 GMT
In its first stage, the factory will produce 500,000 tons of titanium dioxide and 250,000 tons of pure raw steel for local consumption.
Institute of International Finance (file photo)
10:46 GMT
The UAE’s economic growth is projected to moderate to 3.6 per cent in 2013 from an estimated growth of 4.8 per cent last year.
Air Arabia
09:58 GMT
Air Arabia said on Monday its net profit for the first quarter of 2013 jumped 20 per cent to Dh59 million.
Islamic banking needs separate regulations and reporting standard
03:55 GMT
Central banks of the Islamic countries have been urged to adopt a separate set of regulation to reduce confusion among Muslim scholars
Dubai Financial Market
03:17 GMT
The UAE markets rose in tandem on Monday, with Dubai Financial Market gaining 0.50 per cent and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange 0.43 per cent.

May 13, 2013

Campaign poster
18:55 GMT
Dubai tops the list of cities with the brightest future, followed by the two North American cities of Calgary and Denver
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’
14:10 GMT
Opec crude oil output rose in April from its lowest monthly level in more than a year due to the resolution of export disruptions in Iraq and Libya and a rise in Iranian sales
Gasoline prices needed to rise in line with those of its neighbours
13:58 GMT
Libya will join its neighbours in tackling sensitive fuel market reforms and plans to do away with all subsidies within three years, Oil Minister Abdelbari Al Arusi said.
Qatar’s Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr al-Thani
13:19 GMT
The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) received a $3bn Qatari deposit for the purchase of Egyptian bonds on Thursday, confirmed Nidal Assar, the sub-governor of the CBE.
International Air Transport Association
12:47 GMT
The UAE Cabinet has approved an agreement between the UAE and the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
RAK Petroleum plant
11:53 GMT
RAK Petroleum’s assets include a 42.8 per cent holding in Norwegian oil company DNO International ASA.
Tadawul FX offices
10:32 GMT
The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) ended yesterday’s trading in the red at 7,195.17 points
Egypt Prime Minister Ahmad Qandil
10:30 GMT
Prime Minister Hesham Qandil stated that negotiations currently being held with the IMF to secure the country’s pending $4.8bn loan were ongoing
Colonel Sameer Jassim Showaiter, Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed Yateem and Mr. Silvan Varghese during the signing.
10:22 GMT
Khaleeji Commercial Bank (KHCB) has signed a three-way memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bahrain Defence Force's Military Consumer Association (MCA) and its main supplier Glabrous International (GI).
Country will be “lucky to go past” its current oil production of about 9 mbpd by 2020
10:09 GMT
Saudi Arabia’s energy minister said the kingdom has no plans to dramatically expand its oil production capacity to 15 million barrels per day
Muscat Securities Market
06:06 GMT
Strength in global equity markets supported regional sentiment as most GCC stock markets ended Sunday in positive territory. The Muscat Securities Market general index inched up 0.20 per cent to close at 6,264.68.
The GCC states spend around $800 million annually on tobacco products
05:40 GMT
The six member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are home to four million smokers