Qatar Holding To Seek Credit Ratings This Year

The Qatar sovereign has ratings of Aa2 from Moody’s and AA from S&P, and was in the bond market last summer with a $4 billion sukuk issue.

Qatar’s Doha Bank To Launch $426m Rights Issue

The issue will be split equally between a local offering and global depositary receipts (GDRs) in London.

Covered Sukuk To Offer Investors Greater Security

The structure could play a role in Islamic finance after it was used for the first time by London-based subsidiary of Kuwaiti firm Securities House.

Bahrain’s Al Baraka Q4 Income Up 24%

The bank made a net profit of $26 million for the final three months of 2012, meaning a full-year profit gain of 13 per cent.

Oman’s Bank Muscat Gets $195m Equity Investment

International Finance Corp is to buy into the lender with a 5.28 per cent private share placement.

StanChart Hires Ex-RBS Banker For Top MENA Job

Tom Emmet will head up the lender’s mergers and acquisitions business in the MENA region.

Emirates Banks Association To Change Name

The group will now be known as UAE Banks Federation to better reflect ‘the union of UAE banks’.

Bahrain’s Ahli United Bank Sees 11.8% Q4 Profit

The lender said earlier this month it was seeking regional acquisition targets after selling a 29.4 per cent stake in Qatar’s Ahli Bank.

Qatar To List $12bn Firm With Wealth Fund Assets

Qatar Holding’s vice-chairman says the firm will invest in shares, bonds and private equity.

Mubadala Converts Aldar Bonds Boosting Capital 10%

Aldar, which has been bailed out by the Abu Dhabi government over the past two years, plans to merge with rival Sorough.

UAE Grants Bahrain $2.5bn For Development

The money will be disbursed on an annual basis over the next 10 years.

Kuwait Finance House Q4 Net Rises 24% But Misses Estimates

KFH, Kuwait’s biggest Islamic lender, started a restructuring programme last year.

Dubai’s Nakheel In Talks To Extend $2.2bn Loan

Ali Rashid Lootah dismissed concerns over Nakheel’s ability to repay its debts, which include a Dhs3.8 billion sukuk.

Abu Dhabi’s Aabar Seeks $2bn Loan Refinancing

The company borrowed heavily to build up holdings in a number of major companies, including carmaker Daimler.

Geopolitical Sanctions Weigh On Dubai Consumer Banking

The emirate is sensitive to the issue given its geographical positioning to countries targeted by sanctions.

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank To Begin Bond Meetings

The UAE lender said earlier this week it had mandated lead arrangers for the $500 million issue.

Oman Posts $8.4bn Budget Surplus For 2012

The surplus is equivalent to 12 per cent of the sultanate’s 2011 GDP.

Qatar May Invest Up To $3.5bn In Russian Bank VTB

VTB, Russia’s second largest bank, could issue the Qatari wealth fund with $1.5 billion of new equity, says report.

Saudi Sipchem Signs $280m Refinancing Deals

The first instalment is due to be repaid in the second half of 2013.

Invest In GCC Stock Markets, UAE Real Estate, Says Expert

Signs of recovery are visible in the market with strong indications of growth, according to a senior official at Emirates NBD.

UAE’s Gulf Capital Buys Stake In Oilfield Services

Gulf Capital, which has around $1 billion in assets under management, did not provide financial terms.

Kuwait Watchdog Urges Better Islamic Finance Oversight

The number of Islamic financial firms which obey religious principles has increased substantially in Kuwait.

Mashreq Sees 10-15% Profit Rise In 2013

Chief executive Abdulaziz Al Ghurairis optimistic about the bank’s performance this year.

Dubai’s ICD Begins Talks On Refinancing

Dubai’s flagship investment vehicle is scheduled to repay a $2 billion loan.

GCC Online Banking ‘Less Mature’ Than Developed Markets

Demographics of the region’s internet users and number of people online suggest it could improve rapidly.

Credit Suisse’s Banking Head In Qatar Resigns

Rami Touma, a director at the bank, has been running Credit Suisse’s Qatar investment banking business since 2007.

Bank Muscat Forecasts 14-15% Growth

Oman will again spend heavily in 2013 on job creation and infrastructure projects.

Dubai’s Shuaa Capital Q4 Loss Narrows

The Dubai investment bank has laid off a third of its staff since 2011 and slashed operating costs.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Reports Q4 Profit Drop

Decline was expected but still beat forecasts thanks to 10.8 per cent fall in impairments.

UAE Banks To Repay Crisis Capital As Value Diminishes

The UAE’s finance ministry placed Dhs70 billion with banks to shore up their balance sheets after the the financial crisis in 2008.