Flydubai Plans Benchmark-Sized Bond Issue In 2015

The amount raised will be used for the company’s general operating expenses and to fund some of its aircraft deliveries.

Saudi’s Shoura Council To Reconsider 40-Hour Work Week

Saudi Arabia’s advisory body will rethink its decision about reducing working hours in the private sector following an appeal by some of its members.

Standard Chartered Appoints New UAE CEO

Mohsin Nathani will replace Jonathan Morris, who has resigned from the bank for personal reasons.

Bahraini Lenders Al Salam Bank And BMI Bank Complete Merger

The merger is being carried out through a share swap of 11 Al Salam Bank shares for every one BMI Bank share.

Dubai’s Union Properties 2013 Profit Soars Eightfold

The company said it was recommending a five per cent bonus share dividend to shareholders for 2013.

National Bank of Abu Dhabi To Hire Over 100 UAE Nationals In 2014

The bank is on a hiring spree as it grows its commercial business and expands overseas.

Dubai’s Aramex Q4 Net Profit Up 16% On International Revenues

The company made a net profit of Dhs76.4 million in the three months to December 31.

Union National Bank Q4 Net Profit More Than Doubles

The lender made a net profit of Dhs306 million in the three months to December 31, up from Dhs136 million in 2012.

Investcorp’s H1 Fiscal Year Net Income Up By 53%

The company recorded a net income of $60.1 million in H1 FY 2014, compared to $39.2 million last year.

IMF Hikes UAE 2014 Growth Forecast, Warns Against Property Bubble

The UAE is expected to see inflation-adjusted GDP expand 3.9 per cent in 2014 and four per cent in 2013.

Bahrain Aims For New Business With Takaful, Sukuk Rules

The new rules cover the operations and solvency of takaful firms.

Dubai Financial Market Issues Securities Lending Rules

Dubai was one of the best-performing stock markets in the world last year.

How The Financial Sector Can Support Airline CAPEX Obligations

Mounir Kuzbari, EVP and board member, Novus Aviation Capital, explains how the GCC financial sector can better support the capital expenditure obligations of the region’s airlines.

Investment Banks In Middle East To Remain Profitable In 2014- Report

Investment banks in the Middle East have been growing as regional markets continue to recover from the global financial crisis, says Frost & Sullivan.

Saudi Arabia To Give Egypt Up To $4bn More Aid

GCC states have given Egypt billions of dollars since the army toppled President Mohamed Mursi.

Oman’s Bank Dhofar Proposes 14% Cash, 11% Bonus Share Dividend

The lender offered a 15 per cent cash dividend plus bonus shares of 10 per cent in 2012.

Iraq’s Investment Challenge

Can Iraq’s oil prospects offset foreign investor’s security concerns?

First Gulf Bank Q4 Net Profit Up 19%

The lender made a net profit of Dhs1.37 billion in Q4 2013, compared with Dhs1.15 billion in the prior-year period.

Abu Dhabi’s Waha Capital Seeks $700m Loan

Waha has picked HSBC Holdings and First Gulf Bank to help arrange the five-year loan.

Dubai Islamic Bank Q4 Net Profit Up 66.2%

The bank made Dhs518 million in Q4 2013, up from Dhs311.7 million in the corresponding period the year before.

HSBC Oman To Pay First Dividend Since Merger

The bank made a net loss of 1.8 million rials in Q4 2013, compared to a net loss of 4.77 million rials in the year before period.

New Initiative Launched To Support Female Entrepreneurs

The new initiative Ro’Ya will help boost the rate of female entrepreneurship in the UAE, experts said.

NBAD Hires ANZ’s James Burdett As Group CFO

James Burdett was chief financial officer for ANZ.

NBAD Q4 Net Profit Edges Down

Net profit for the quarter was Dhs1.08 billion, slightly lower than Dhs1.12 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Kuwait’s Gulf Bank 2013 Net Profit Up 4%

Full-year net profit was 32.16 million dinars compared with 30.89 million dinars in the same period a year ago.

Stocks News: Gulf Vulnerable To Further Profit-Taking

The Dubai index has dropped for two consecutive sessions but is still up in January.

Emirates NBD Comfortable With State Exposure – CEO

ENBD’s loans to Dubai government consist of Dhs91 billion out of a total loan book of Dhs238.3 billion.

Dubai’s Emirates NBD Misses Q4 Profit Forecast

A 26 per cent rise in net interest income was offset by a 40 per cent year-on-year jump in impairment allowances.

Dubai’s Mashreq Posts 38% Rise In 2013 Net Profit

The bank’s profit was boosted by a rise in net interest income and net fee and commission income.

ADCB Q4 Net Profit Jumps 40%

The bank reported Dhs879 million for the quarter, beating analysts’ estimates.