Oman Cement Posts 4.3% H1 Net Profit Hike

Net profit rose despite a drop in sales despite a drop during the first half of the year.

Saudi Arabia Prepares To Open $530bn Stock Market To Foreigners

A statement from the cabinet did not specify a timetable for the market to be opened.

IMF Raises Saudi Economic Growth Forecast To 4.6% For 2014

In April, the IMF had forecast GDP growth in the Kingdom to reach 4.1 per cent for 2014.

Kuwaiti Bank KFH Q2 Net Profit Rises 6.4%, Misses Estimates

Net profit rose to KD28.51 million ($101 million) in the three months to June 30 from KD26.8 million in the same period a year ago.

Saudi’s Fawaz Alhokair Q2 Net Profit Up 15.7%, Misses Forecasts

Net profit in the three months to June 30 was SAR191.2 million ($51.0 million), compared to SAR165.2 million in the same period a year earlier.

Saudi Electricity Q2 Profit Jumps 144% On One-Time Gain

The company made SAR3.66 billion during the three months to June 30, compared to SAR1.50 billion during the same period of the previous year.

Almost 41% Of UAE Businesses To Base Future Trade In Renminibi – Report

A HSBC survey found that business relationship benefits and competitive pricing were driving UAE businesses to adopt trade in Renminibi.

EY: 10 GCC IPOs Raise $2.26bn In H1 2014

Saudi Arabia led the GCC activity in the first half of the year with four IPOs, followed by the UAE with three.

Saudi’s Kingdom Holding Q2 Net Profit Rises 16.8%

The firm, owned by billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, attributed the rise to an increase in gains on investments and dividends income.

Stock News: Arabtec Plunges Again, Drags Dubai Down Further

Arabtec tumbled its 10 per cent daily limit while the Dubai index dropped 3.9 per cent.

Oman Fund Working To Rescue Bulgaria’s Corpbank

A plan is expected to be put together within three months.

UAE May Issue Federal Government Bonds By 2018 – Finance Ministry

The purpose of issuing bonds is to meet the requirements of Basel III, according to a senior official.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Q2 Net Profit Jumps 22.6%, Beats Estimates

In May, the lender got regulatory approval to purchase much of Barclays’ retail operations in the UAE.

Stock News: Arabtec Drags Down UAE, Saudi Earnings Disappoint

Arabtec tumbled its daily 10 per cent limit, dragging down the entire Dubai stock market to close six per cent lower.

Stock News: Arabtec Tumbles, Weighs On Dubai

Arabtec tumbled its daily 10 per cent limit, dragging down the entire Dubai stock market, where the main index dropped 5.4 per cent.

Dubai Bank ENBD Repays Final $1.1bn Of 2008 Government Support

The lender had repaid the rest of its total Dhs12.6 billion of support in 2013.

Aabar Says Arabtec Talks Would Be Confidential

Aabar’s statement followed media reports last week that said the fund was in talks to buy at least part of the 28.85 per cent stake owned by Arabtec’s former chief executive Hasan Ismaik.

Oman’s Ominvest Says To Explore Possible ONIC Holding Merger

Any potential tie-up between the pair would be subject to both firms agreeing terms as well as receiving the approvals of shareholders and regulators.

UAE lender UNB Beats Forecasts Slightly With 5.6% Q2 Profit Gain

The lender reported a net profit of Dhs515.6 million for the three months to June 30, up from Dhs488.3 million in the same period last year.

Saudi’s Khodari Profit Slumps 68.8%, Widely Misses Forecasts

Net profit fell to SAR7.91 million ($2.1 million) in the three months to June 30 from SAR25.38 million a year earlier, the company said in a statement.

SABIC Q2 Profit Rises 7%, Matching Analysts’ Estimates

The company earned SAR6.46 billion ($1.72 billion) in the quarter, compared to SAR6.04 billion in the year-earlier period.

Saudi’s Dar al-Arkan Q2 Net Profit Up 17%, Misses Forecasts

Net profit in the three months to June 30 was SAR121.3 million ($32.3 million) compared to 103.7 million in the same period a year earlier.

UAE Private Equity Firms Ithmar Capital, Gulf Capital Planning IPOs

The economic rebound seen both locally and internationally has seen deal-making revived in the last two years, with many now divesting stakes and looking for new opportunities.

Saudi’s Al Tayyar Travel Posts 8.3% Q2 Net Profit Rise On Higher Sales

The firm made SAR364 million ($97.1 million) in the three months to June 30, according to a bourse filing.

Will Murky UAE Markets Face Stricter Regulation After Arabtec Debacle?

The Securities and Commodity Authority said a new “technical committee” would ensure the integrity of share trading and prevent any manipulation of stock prices.

Upgrade Or No Upgrade, UAE and Qatar Keep Frontier Investor Fanbase

UAE and Qatar stock markets rallied sharply over the past year in anticipation of the upgrade to emerging market status by index compiler MSCI.

New UAE Law Allowing Sell Downs To Boost Listings, Private Equity

Under the law, founders of a company can list shares through a sell down of a certain percentage of their existing stock.

Dubai Financial Market Q2 Net Profit More Than Triples

The firm, which runs securities trading in Dubai, made a net profit of Dhs252.5 million.

UAE Regulators Signal More Active Stance On Arabtec

On Thursday, the Dubai bourse said it was suspending trade in Arabtec pending clarification on media reports about strategic partners’ stake in the firm.

Dubai’s Consumer Prices Rise Sharply In First Half Of 2014

Housing, water, electricity, gas and fuels recorded price increases of 4.6 per cent during the first six months of the year.