Saudi regulator bans Deloitte from audit work for two years

Deloitte has been barred because of its involvement with troubled Saudi contractor MMG

Saudi market regulator jails two executives of contractor MMG

The company’s founder Mohammad Al-Mojil and his son Adel Al-Mojil were sentenced to five years in prison.

Oman finance ministry to issue $2.5bn sukuk to plug budget gap

The bonds will consist of a $1bn five-year issue and a $1.5bn 10-year issue

Small international banks begin entering Iran

The world’s big banks have continued to stay away because they fear being penalised by remaining US sanctions

Qatar plans zones with tax incentives to lure overseas investors

Under a draft law, Qatar plans three economic zones

Abu Dhabi banks NBAD, FGB in early merger talks

The possible merger could be made as soon as this month

UAE introduces VAT threshold for firms in phase 1

The first phase covers companies with annual revenues exceeding Dhs 3.75m

Saudi cabinet approves regulations for ‘white land’ tax

Proposals aimed at reducing housing shortage in urban areas

Qatar National Bank acquires Turkey’s Finansbank

The Qatari lender is now the largest bank in the Middle East and Africa by assets

UAE salaries to rise 4.6% in 2017, down from 4.9% in 2016

New report says employees in Saudi, Qatar and Kuwait can expect higher wage hikes next year

Saudi cabinet approves land tax, foreign investment rules

Foreign investors will be able to own 100 per cent of retail and wholesale businesses

Gulf sovereign investors miss targets by 2% in 2015

Real estate allocations grow by 4 per cent since 2013, report by Invesco

Qatar Investment Authority acquires $2.5bn Singapore tower

The acquisition of Asian Square Tower 1 marks the largest single tower real estate transaction in Asia Pacific

Saudi may begin privatising postal system by 2017

Authorities are still studying how much of Saudi Postal would be sold

Landmark Saudi bond takes step forward

The kingdom is expected to raise at least $10bn as it seeks to tackle its burgeoning fiscal deficit

Emirates to pay off $1.1bn of bonds, has financing for 2016/2017

The carrier said it had already received committed offers to finance the delivery of aircraft this year

IMF warns GCC governments to up deficit reduction measures

The fund said an additional substantial deficit reduction effort is required in the region

Abu Dhabi Financial Group to acquire Shuaa Capital stake

The firm was one of three linked to the acquisition in recent weeks

Al Habtoor Group plays down IPO reports

Yesterday Bloomberg cited the company’s chief executive as saying it had all the necessary documents to go public

Debt warning after 20 Filipinos arrested in transit through GCC

Expats warned that a new passport would not protect debtors from detection

Dubai bank Emirates NBD in Dhs 500m digital push

The lender will the invest the amount in its digital operations over the next three years

Saudi eyes $15bn of bond sales in 2016, post-Ramadan issue

The kingdom is said to have been encouraged by Qatar’s record issue last week

Abu Dhabi, Al Mal and Arqaam among Shuaa stake bidders

The stake is being sold by Dubai Group to meet debt repayments

Saudi Arabia hires HSBC banker for bond sale – report

Fahad Al Saif has become the second HSBC banker to be appointed to a government role in recent months, according to reports

Qatar completes Middle East’s largest ever bond sale

Middle Eastern bond sales this year total almost $30bn

Shuaa Capital plays down reports of job cuts

Reports earlier this week indicated the bank had laid off 15 per cent of its workforce

Doha Bank CEO says liquidity ‘much bigger issue’ than 2008

Raghavan Seetharaman said it was a “challenging time” for lenders

Dubai’s Shuaa Capital cuts 15% of staff

Before the lay-offs, the bank had about 70 employees

Former Saudi haj minister appointed IDB’s new head

Bandar Hajjar’s candidacy was endorsed by the Saudi government and the outgoing IDB president Ahmad Mohamed Ali

IMF backs Saudi’s new economic reform plan

Late last month, Saudi announced steps to reduce its dependence on oil exports over the next 15 years