Saudi plan to wean off oil sees success even as economy stalls

The overall economy was weighed down by shrinkage of 6.4 per cent in the country’s oil sector

Saudi shops, businesses can stay open 24/7 starting Jan 1, 2020

Businesses that wish to operate 24/7 will need a special licence

These are the top jobs for the next decade

Climate change, an economic slowdown and technology are among the factors that could have the greatest impact on jobs in the 2020s

Dubai reveals largest-ever budget for 2020 to ‘stimulate economy’

The budget for the financial year 2020, at Dhs66.4bn, will continue to focus on social services

Dubai slams ‘smear campaign’ against UAE products

Dubai Media Office asserted that all products manufactured in Jebel Ali were subject to quality checks

VAT contributed 5.5% to UAE’s revenue in 2018

UAE’s overall revenue reached Dhs456bn in 2018, of which tax accounted for Dhs25bn

How Saudi Arabia intends to spend its Aramco IPO proceeds

Finance minister Mohammed Al Jadaan said that the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund expects to invest significant amounts in the domestic economy

Mubadala’s CEO Khaldoon Al Mubarak builds $229bn fund for post-oil era

He has risen to become one of the most trusted advisers of the ruling Al Nahyan family

Salaries in Saudi to increase by 4.5% in 2020 – survey

The highest salary hike of 5 per cent is expected in the life sciences industries, while the lowest increase is anticipated in the energy industry

Dubai economy grew 2.1% in first half of 2019

Growth was driven by a 6.2 per cent rise in the transport and storage sector

Government policies, Expo 2020 spending to boost UAE economic growth

Globally, workforces will reduce by 25 million in developed countries and scale by 470 million in emerging ones.

Lebanese banks agree on joint measures to address crisis

Banks agreed to lift a restriction on new money coming from abroad and set a withdrawal limit of $1,000 a week for accounts denominated in foreign currency

Saudi Arabia cuts Aramco valuation, boosts loans for IPO

The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority will allow smaller retail investors to borrow twice their cash investment, double the normal leverage limits the regulator allows for IPOs

UAE legislates protection of citizens, residents in debt

New federal law to regulate insolvency cases will come into effect from January next year

UAE, Egypt to set up $20bn joint investment platform

The investment platform will be run through Egypt’s newly established sovereign wealth fund and Abu Dhabi Development Holding

Oman bans work visas for expats in certain sectors

The ban is applicable on private sector entities in the construction and cleaning work sectors

Lebanon parliament to discuss graft law this week as demanded by protestors

President Michel Aoun said lawmakers will meet November 12 to consider lifting the wide immunity granted to government officials and parliamentarians

Emiratis to secure 40% banking jobs in UAE

Currently, Emiratis constitute 26.1 per cent of the UAE’s banking workforce

Egypt inflation at nine-year low

Consumer prices in urban parts of the country rose by 3.1 per cent in October compared to 4.8 per cent in September, the lowest since September 2010

How the UAE and Dubai can move up international indices and rankings

Improvements need to be made in certain key sectors

Saudi sees strongest non-oil pickup in years, but job market stagnates

Business conditions in the kingdom’s non-oil private sector improved last month at the fastest pace since August 2015

Saudi to cut spending as private sector growth picks up

Economic growth is estimated at 2.3 per cent in 2020 compared with 0.9 per cent this year

Egypt sale of stakes in state companies are factoring in Aramco IPO

Egypt plans to raise $4.95bn from all its offers and bring in much-needed foreign investment

Gulf countries slash rates following US Fed move

Policy makers in Kuwait lowered borrowing costs for the first time since 2012

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign fund to invest $10bn in Brazil

The two governments will form a council which will define the sectors and the timing of the investments

UAE approves 2020 budget, Sheikh Mohammed says ‘decade of development’ to begin

One-third of the Dhs61bn federal budget will be allocated to the social development sector

IMF says Mideast markets twice as sensitive to global risk as emerging markets

The global outlook is that of lower growth and rising uncertainty, the IMF warned

Dubai set to issue single licence that will allow firms to operate across all its freezones

Study also underway to help establish a financial market that provides companies registered in freezones with funding through IPO listings

Abu Dhabi recalls more than 5,400 products from the market

Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council conducts safety and quality checks

Freezing government fees did not have ‘significant financial impact’ on Dubai – official

Dubai issued a decision in March 2018 to free all government fees for three years