Oil slides while gold heads to $1,700 over coronavirus fears

Bullion prices have taken off this year, rising almost 10 per cent, as concerns over the virus deepen

Saudi regulator seeks to raise capital levels for insurers

Of Saudi Arabia’s 33 insurance companies, 10 made a loss last year, with the bulk of profits being earned by two companies — Bupa Arabia and Tawuniya

UAE central bank is monitoring job cuts in financial sector

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank is seeking to save about Dhs500m by cutting jobs and closing branches

G20 finance chiefs discuss coronavirus threat to global economy in Saudi meet

Central banks in Indonesia, Mexico, Turkey and South Africa have cut rates this year

UAE telco Etisalat acquires cyber security firm Help AG

The acquisition will integrate the strengths of both firms to create a robust cyber security unit that would, in turn, bolster Etisalat Digital’s portfolio of digital security services

Revealed: Top 5 most powerful Arabs in finance

The highest ranking entries from the world of finance in Gulf Business’ annual Arab power list 2020

RTA, Careem launch bike rental service in Dubai

Careem will operate 1,750 bicycles and install 175 stations during the first two years, later increasing them to a total of 3,500 bicycles and 350 stations over the next five years

New entertainment venue Madar set to open in Sharjah mega development Aljada

Madar includes a cluster of attractions including a children’s adventure area and a food zone

OECD says coronavirus is another reason to boost fiscal stimulus

Leaders of the world economy are convening amid mounting fears that the virus outbreak poses a greater threat to global growth than earlier envisaged

Lebanon slammed by double downgrade as bond default looms

S&P Global Ratings cut the country’s long-term foreign currency rating to CC, following a similar reduction by Moody’s Investors Service to Ca

Abu Dhabi announces rules to regulate holiday home market

Holiday home owners in the emirate will now have to pay a tourism fee amounting to 6 per cent of the guest’s bill

Dubai Economy issues 4,692 instant licences to date

The instant licence service enables businessmen to obtain a commercial license within five minutes

Saudi Arabia to invest $110bn in Jafurah gas field

Jafurah will likely produce about 130,000 barrels a day of ethane, close to 40 per cent of the kingdom’s current production and around 500,000 barrels a day of gas liquids and condensates, representing about 34 per cent of the output

The rise of 3D-printed healthcare products in the GCC

3D printing and digital design software has effectively disrupted the standardised medical business model that has existed for decades

Explainer: How is the GCC’s ride-sharing industry evolving?

Global ride-sharing app Uber is looking to expand its presence in the region, says Tino Abdellatif Waked, general manager at Uber MENA

Investor anxiety rises as coronavirus spreads outside China

South Korea reported its first death from the virus on Thursday while in Singapore, more than 80 people have contracted the virus

Dubai Economy partners with local banks to form KYC platform

The ‘KYC Blockchain Consortium’ will facilitate faster and more secure exchange of digital customer data and documents through the blockchain technology

‘The US is sparing no effort in smearing Huawei’ – Middle East President Charles Yang

Huawei has signed 77 5G contracts globally, of which 12 are in the Middle East

Gold just hit a seven-year high on virus fears

Spot gold traded at $1,607.95 an ounce at 3.02pm in Shanghai, down from Wednesday’s peak of $1,612.98, which was the highest since March 2013

GCC health ministers convene to discuss measures against coronavirus

The GCC Communicable Diseases Committee also held an emergency meeting on January 29 to explore cooperation mechanisms

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

OPEC confirms March meeting date

The 23-nation coalition known as OPEC+ had already scheduled the conference for early March when it last assembled in December

Revealed: Areas offering the highest rental yields in Dubai

The average gross rental yield in Dubai stands at 7 per cent, finds report

Billionaire Sawiris hopes to join Egypt gold rush as rules eased

The North African country will announce its first exploration tender in close to three years by March

UAE-based billionaire BR Shetty had it all. Then Carson Block came along

Muddy Waters’s scrutiny into NMC has snowballed into a troubling scenario for Shetty that sheds light on his complex share arrangements

UAE telco Etisalat posts 1% profit rise in 2019

Its consolidated revenues in 2019 reached Dhs52.2bn, slightly lower than Dhs52.38bn in 2018

Egypt to resume IPOs of state-run firms by end of March – minister

Egypt’s programme to offer stakes in state-run firms is part of a broader plan to revive the economy

India’s Reliance, Saudi Aramco accelerate refinery stake sale talks

In August, Reliance valued its oil-to-chemicals division at $75bn including debt, implying a $15bn valuation for a 20 per cent stake

Dubai’s W Motors, maker of $3.4m supercar, seeks funds to go electric

W Motors has hired investment bank Guggenheim Partners to help raise as much as $100m

Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC awards Dhs6bn contracts for Dalma Gas project

Both contracts are expected to be completed in 2022

Etihad

Etihad to operate daily flights from Al Ain to Jeddah during Ramadan

The airline will operate the flights from May 14 – 23, to meet increased demand during the busy religious travel period