Oil slumps to lowest in a year on coronavirus fears

Investors are struggling to gauge whether the virus will turn into a global pandemic

UAE prepared for ‘worst case’ coronavirus scenario

The Gulf nation is well-equipped with quarantine and surveillance facilities to manage the outbreak

difc court

Claims worth Dhs3.1bn filed in Dubai’s DIFC Courts in 2019

The number of enforcement cases also rose 35 per cent to 251 with a total claim amount of Dhs2.6bn

Lebanon has more to worry about than $31bn maturing Eurobonds

Falling reserves and inflows have led to a shortage of foreign exchange in Lebanon, disrupting the financial system

Dubai’s RTA launches real-time bus updates on Google Maps

Dubai will be the first city in the Middle East to use open data in public transport

nasdaq dubai

Saudi Arabia’s Dar Al-Arkan lists $400m sukuk on Nasdaq Dubai

It raises Dar Al-Arkan’s total sukuk value listed on Nasdaq Dubai to $2bn

DHA

Dubai’s DHA completes first successful live organ transplant

The authority added that it was now considering setting up an organ transplant centre in the emirate

UAE banks invested Dhs141bn in Q4 2019 across the GCC

Saudi Arabia accounted for 54 per cent of the UAE’s total banking investment

umex abu dhabi

Abu Dhabi’s UMEX 2020 concludes with Dhs750m deals

The total number of exhibitors was up nearly 40 per cent compared to the previous year

Kuwait, Oman confirm additional coronavirus cases

The number of coronavirus cases in Kuwait tallies 12, while Oman confirmed four as infected in the sultanate

Revealed: Most popular projects in Dubai for off-plan sales in 2019

Popular buildings in the off-plan segment were mainly in the luxury market, finds report

gfh nasdaq dubai

Bahrain’s GFH Financial Group lists $300m sukuk on Nasdaq Dubai

The five-year sukuk was oversubscribed 2.5 times with a total book size exceeding $750m

UAE-affiliated Petrofac reports 14% y-o-y increase in profits

New order intake from Oman, Algeria and the Netherlands amounted to $2.1bn

Fitness First Middle East to launch new clubs in the GCC

The first of the new clubs is expected to open in April at Marina Gate, Dubai, and will be the brand’s 33rd destination in the UAE

Regulator of Dubai’s DIFC fines global mortgage firm $105,000 for ‘unauthorised activity’

Enness’ DIFC office was fined for carrying out activities outside the scope of its licence

OPEC+ cuts that steadied market now bring risk of $100 crude

No OPEC decision yet on oil cuts – Saudi energy minister

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies are to meet next week in Vienna to assess their global cuts and output policy

UAE and Saudi Arabia lead global water desalination projects

Further investments of $4.3bn are expected into MENA’s desalination projects by 2022

Oman reports two cases of coronavirus, quarantines 250 on suspicion

The two women, who tested positive for the disease, had travelled from Iran

Coronavirus update: Kuwait, Bahrain report additional cases

The total number of coronavirus cases in Kuwait tally five while Bahrain has registered eight cases of the Covid-19 virus

empower

Empower opens world’s first unmanned cooling plant in Dubai

By the end of 2020, the plant will have a total cooling capacity of 49,000 refrigeration tonnes

Oman’s new sultan embarks on long road to economic recovery

The Gulf nation plans to lower its debt and review state companies

Saudi Arabia has granted 400,000 visas since opening to tourism

The kingdom aims is to draw 100 million visits a year by 2030

Bahrain’s Investcorp acquires two US properties for $164m

Its global multifamily property portfolio is currently valued at approximately $2.3bn

UAE expats remit Dhs165bn in 2019

Remittances are down 2.4per cent year-on-year

Egypt’s Banque Misr to borrow $250m, grow in Africa

Egypt’s second-largest state-owned lender will use the debt to finance small-and-medium-size enterprises, among other purposes

Network International to launch WeChat Pay in the UAE

The launch will enable Chinese tourists to transact seamlessly with Network International’s merchant network in the UAE via their WeChat mobile wallet

HSBC’s Saudi Arabia affiliate seeks to boost corporate lending

Saudi British Bank, which is 29 per cent owned by HSBC, completed the acquisition of Alawwal Bank last year to create the kingdom’s third-largest lender

Coronavirus update: Kuwait, Bahrain confirm first cases

Bahrain reported a citizen who had arrived from Iran as its first case of the coronavirus infection while Kuwait reported three confirmed cases of the virus

Abu dhabi uae capital flag

UAE’s economy grew 2.9% in 2019 – report

The UAE economy grew 4 per cent in the second quarter of 2019 while the fourth quarter posted the lowest growth figure of 1.3 per cent

UAE announces spring holidays for private, public schools

Spring holidays for government and private schools that follow the ministry’s curriculum across the UAE will begin on March 29 and end on April 11