Bahrain’s Investcorp acquires Nordic telematics firm ABAX group for $210m

ABAX specialises in the development and supply of vehicle tracking systems and technology

Qatar stock market tumbles 7.6% as Saudi, UAE cut ties

The diplomatic rift could have a serious impact on some business deals and companies in the region

Dubai stock index drops on opening after Qatar rift

Abu Dhabi’s stock index also fell 0.4 per cent on opening

Saudi Aramco warned by lawyers on New York IPO litigation risks

A New York Stock Exchange listing and one on Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul exchange has been the favoured option for Saudi Aramco

Kuwait picks EY to value its stock exchange for potential IPO

The country has been considering an IPO of its stock market for years, but political infighting and entrenched bureaucracy have held up the process

UAE’s Dana Gas appoints advisers for $700m sukuk restructuring

The company has been facing a cash shortage because of missed payments from its assets in Egypt and Iraq’s Kurdistan

Mideast funds lose interest in UAE equities

Low trading volumes and financial pressure on some companies has led to the bearish sentiment

Saudi utility Marafiq may consider IPO

The IPO, which could be in 2019, could raise around SAR1bn

Bahrain wealth fund Mumtalakat hopes to invest in Aramco IPO – CEO

Reforms in Saudi Arabia will have “positive impact” on Bahrain, says Mahmood Alkooheji

Saudi British Bank picks Goldman for Alawwal merger

SABB and Alawwal are mulling a merger that could create the kingdom’s third biggest bank with assets of nearly $80bn

Bahrain, Manama, Cityscape view of Bahrain World Trade Center and Bahrain Financial Harbor

Bahrain’s GFH receives $2.5m as legal settlement from Prescott Energy

GFH won a legal case filed in 2013 against against Prescott Energy

Dubai real estate fund ENBD Reit buys student housing for Dhs120m

The acquisition is the fund’s first since its listing on Nasdaq Dubai in March

Dubai to raise around $500m in first funding phase for metro extension

The loan proceeds would be used to start the 15km extension of the Dubai metro to the World Expo site

Saudi foreign assets reach their lowest level since 2011

The kingdom’s foreign assets kept falling in April amid heavy overseas borrowing

Saudi’s Alawwal Bank picks JPMorgan to advise on merger with SABB

SABB and Alawwal said on April 25 they had agreed to start talks on a merger

Revealed: Top 50 GCC banks

Gulf Business reveals the 50 biggest banks in the GCC as ranked by total assets

Dubai reduces regulation for fintech firms with new licence

Companies will be able to temporarily operate in DIFC with less strict regulatory requirements

Dubai bank Emirates NBD launches e-commerce platform

SkyShopper is intended to encourage online shopping and build customer loyalty

Dubai-based comparison site compareit4me raises $3.5m in funding

The company said STC Ventures and Wamda Capital provided the majority of the funds

Revealed: Qatar’s biggest banks

The GCC state’s top listed banks, as ranked by total asset size

UAE insurance start-up Bayzat raises $3m

The investment follows a $3.5m funding round in November

GCC value added and selective taxes come into force

The taxes have come into force after ratification by the UAE

Revealed: Top 10 banks in Saudi Arabia

The kingdom’s biggest listed banks, as ranked by total asset size

Revealed: Top 10 banks in the UAE

The country’s biggest listed banks, as ranked by total asset size

Saudi/Abu Dhabi-backed SoftBank fund closes with $93bn of capital

Gulf sovereign investors are key backers of the fund

US, Saudi firms sign multi-billion dollar deals during Trump visit

Energy minister Khalid al-Falih said deals involving all companies totalled over $200bn

Dubai’s Alabbar acquires ‘large’ stake in regional VC fund MEVP

MEVP is one of the largest venture capital firms in the MENA region

UAE Exchange Group targets up to $300m in acquisitions

The group aims to increase its share of the $575bn global remittance industry to more than 10 per cent by 2020

Oman appoints banks ahead of debut public dollar sukuk

The planned sale is expected to raise around $2bn

Dubai-based delivery app Fetchr closes $41m funding round

Investors in the round included malls operator Majid Al Futtaim