GCC economies to bounce back in 2022: MUFG Research

Forecast shows GDP to grow at 6.1 per cent this year; with the GCC surplus to reach $27bn

Gold holds gains with inflation outlook eyed for direction

Markets in China and some other Asian countries will be closed for much of the week for the Lunar New Year holidays

UAE corporate tax

UAE to introduce federal corporate tax on business profits from 2023

The Ministry of Finance has set a rate of 9 per cent for taxable income exceeding Dhs375,000

Abu Dhabi’s EDGE Group appoints ADQ’s group CIO as new CEO

Mansour Mohamed AlMulla is also a board member of the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, Abu Dhabi Ports Company, Abu Dhabi Global Market, and Etihad Aviation Group

Saudi Investment

Saudi wealth fund rakes in $5bn as demand for stocks booms

The Saudi benchmark index has jumped about 9 per cent this year

Dubai FDI

Dubai reports Dhs15.9bn of FDI in the first nine months of 2021

It ranked third globally in attracting greenfield foreign direct investments

Oman vows to extend economic reforms as its finances stabilise

Oman’s cost-cutting steps along with a rally in oil prices helped the sultanate return to global debt markets

Getty Images

Dubai issues 72,152 new business licences in 2021

A total of 59 per cent of these were professional licences, while 41 per cent were commercial

2021 ended as fifth-hottest year with push from spiking methane

Atmospheric methane increased by a record amount last year, to 1,876 parts per billion

Nasdaq Dubai

Nasdaq Dubai records $23.1bn sukuk and bond listings in 2021

The 30 listings undertaken in 2021 were 15.5 per cent higher than the number of listings the previous year

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai

Sheikh Mohammed issues decrees regulating Dubai Chambers

The legislations include a decree establishing Dubai Chambers as a new entity that replaces the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Hisham Khalid Tawfiq Abdulkhaliq

ADQ appoints new chairman of Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange

Hisham Khalid Tawfiq Abdulkhaliq Malak also serves as the undersecretary of the Department of Finance

UAE economy forecasted to grow 4.2% in 2022

The growth in the oil sector’s gross domestic product is set to be at 5 per cent this year

ADNOC Umm Shaif

ADNOC awards $946m contract for UAE’s Umm Shaif field

The contract was awarded by ADNOC Offshore to National Petroleum Construction Company following a tender process

Gold holds biggest decline in six weeks after bond yields surge

Bullion fell last year in its biggest annual decline since 2015

Power Letters 2022: Hamad Buamim, president and CEO, Dubai Chamber

Dubai International Chamber is supporting ongoing efforts to boost the emirate’s trade to Dhs2 trillion over the next five years

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai

Sheikh Mohammed approves Dubai budget of Dhs181bn for 2022-2024

It includes an expenditure of nearly Dhs60bn in 2022

Warba Bank nasdaq dubai

Warba Bank lists $250m sukuk on Nasdaq Dubai

The total value of the Kuwaiti bank’s sukuk on the exchange stands at $898m

GCC-UK strategic partnership to create jobs and drive economic growth in the Middle East

The GCC and UK already cooperate in many areas including security, foreign policy, trade and investment

Bank of America, Societe Generale to follow new weekend in the UAE

From January, the UAE will adopt a Monday-Thursday work week with Friday being a half day

Saudi Crown Prince launches masterplan for SAR75bn Jeddah Central project

The project will include four landmarks – an opera House, museum, sports stadium and oceanarium, as well as 17,000 residential units

dirhams

UAE Central Bank extends economic support measures until June 30

Prudential relief measures regarding banks’ capital buffers and liquidity and stable funding requirements will be extended by six months

Covid-19: Bahrain to move to ‘yellow alert level’ over omicron concerns

The new alert level will be in place from Sunday, December 19, 2021, until Monday, January 31, 2022

Gulf leaders stress need for joint security, approve establishment of GCC Railways Authority

The GCC Supreme Council also urged for the need to accelerate the establishment of a joint customs union and the GCC Common Market

UAE salaries to increase by an average of 3% in 2022-report

Up to 74 per cent of the respondents also confirmed that they intend to pay out bonuses in 2022, with 46 per cent looking at offering one- two months’ gross salary

UAE’s new labour law to largely align public and private sector benefits

Under the new law, employees in both sectors will get similar leaves and end-of-service benefits

Dubai’s Danube Group chairman on Covid-19 recovery, 2022 plans

The UAE’s economy has received a strong boost from Expo 2020 Dubai and is on its way back to growth, states Danube Group founder and chairman Rizwan Sajan

Abu Dhabi’s IHC approves merger of its real estate firm Al Tamouh with Al Qudra Holding

Investment holding company Al Qudra’s board has approved a new foreign ownership limit of 30 per cent of outstanding shares

Saudi Arabia sees 2022 budget surplus, first in eight years

Officials expect the economy to expand 2.9 per cent this year and grow by a further 7.4 per cent in 2022

Kuwait’s $33bn holding firm Kipco appoints Sheikha Dana as CEO

She will replace Faisal Al Ayyar, who will retire as the CEO after more than 30 years with the company