Saudi British Bank, Alawwal boards approve $5bn merger

The merger is still subject to shareholder and regulatory approval

Indian rupee likely to fall further against the UAE dirham

The rupee may touch 21 against the UAE dirham by the end of the year, says expert

Indian rupee at an all-time low against the dirham and dollar

A dirham yielded more than 20 rupees earlier this morning

First Abu Dhabi Bank launches sound-based payments

FAB said the system can be used to make payments using regular cash registers

Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala plans $6bn debt reorganisation

IPIC and Mubadala’s debt will sit under only one public investment vehicle

Saudi makes $200m grant to Yemen central bank

Yemen’s currency, the riyal, has lost more than half its value against the US dollar

GCC banks expected to stabilise in 2019 – S&P

The company said 2019 should mark the easing of three years of significant pressure on regional lenders

Saudi Aramco may borrow up to $50bn from banks for SABIC deal

The deal is expected to involve the purchase of all or nearly all of the 70 per cent stake in SABIC held by the PIF

Sharjah’s UAB, Invest Bank deny reports of three-way merger with Bank of Sharjah

Reports claimed the Sharjah government was mulling the merger to create a bank with about Dhs66.2bn in assets

Saudi expects $11bn inflows from JP Morgan bond index entry

Saudi, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar will enter JP Morgan’s emerging market government bond indexes next year

UAE’s Bank of Sharjah, Invest Bank, UAB in merger plan

Three Abu Dhabi banks are also currently in talks to merge

Bahrain, Saudi, UAE raise interest rates, Kuwait unchanged

Bahrain, Saudi and the emirates peg their currencies to the US dollar

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait to enter key JP Morgan bond indexes

The indexes are key performance benchmarks for international investors in emerging market debt

VAT not recoverable on staff parties in the UAE, clarifies regulator

Companies cannot recover the tax incurred on goods or services purchased to be given away to staff free of charge

UAE’s Al Dahra to invest further $500m in Romania

Abu Dhabi’s Al Dahra has been expanding aggressively in eastern Europe in the last five years

UK-based Actis picked to take over Abraaj’s Africa funds

Liquidators have started breaking up the operations of private equity firm Abraaj

Dubai developer Nakheel plans sukuk sale, mall financing

The company is planning to return to the debt market with a new public issue of US dollar-denominated sukuk

UAE’s Emirates Global Aluminium cites ‘unfavourable’ conditions for IPO delay

The decision to delay the IPO was prompted by US tariffs on aluminum imports, claims report

Saudi’s ACWA Power delays plans for IPO – sources

It is the latest company to delay a public listing in Saudi

Abu Dhabi state fund Mubadala posts H1 profit of $2.97bn

Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC) was merged with Mubadala in March this year

Dubai’s Emaar, Emirates NBD partner for new credit cards

The Visa credit cards will allow users to earn and redeem points at 1,500 Emaar touchpoints across hotels, restaurants and leisure outlets

Abu Dhabi Islamic aims to boost lending after capital increase

The bank expects to grow lending by up to 5 per cent this year

Bahrain’s Investcorp announces $250m investment in China

The company will invest up to $150m in the second round of the China Everbright Limited New Economy Fund

Dubai bank Emirates NBD expands in Saudi

The lender now has branches in three Saudi cities including Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar

Saudi records 187 VAT violations among schools, bookstores

The targeted field campaigns were carried out by inspection teams during the first week of the new school year

Saudi to auction detained billionaire Maan al-Sanea’s real estate assets

Sanea was detained last year for unpaid debts dating back to 2009

Abu Dhabi Financial Group offers revised bid for Abraaj’s Middle East funds

More than a dozen bidders are seeking to buy the bulk of Abraaj’s private equity funds

Dubai climbs to 15th on financial centres index

Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Riyadh saw their ranking delcine

Saudi targets $2bn with new Islamic bonds

It would be the kingdom’s second international sale of sukuk after a $9bn transaction last year

Saudi expected to announce dollar sukuk sale soon

The new debt issue would be Saudi Arabia’s second international sukuk, following a $9bn debut deal last year