Almost 70% of UAE customers trust their banks

The UAE’s banking customers are five times more likely to say that their view of their banks has improved rather than worsened in the last six months

Dubai’s Drake and Scull wins Dhs 224m deal for hotel, mall expansion

The contractor did not specify the name of the mall or the hotel it is building

Saudi to impose a maximum of $26.67 per square metre on undeveloped lands

The fees would encourage landowners to develop their land instead of just holding it for profit, the country’s housing minister said

Saudi says difficult to see role for Iran in Syria peacemaking

Adel al-Jubeir said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had to leave power if peace was to be achieved

Germany’s Steinmeier calls on Gulf States to help more refugees

Germany’s foreign minister urged the Gulf countries to take in refugees

Free public wifi across Dubai will soon be a reality – expert

Telecom operators will not lose out as they can create new streams of revenue generation, says industry expert

Egypt in second day of “election without voters”

Sunday and Monday’s voting levels were extremely low, a in sharp contrast to the long lines of the 2011-12 election

Etisalat, du can now compete for broadband, fixed voice services across UAE

The UAE’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority has opened up broadband and fixed voice services to residential customers

UAE to see 62% rise in number of millionaires by 2020 – Credit Suisse

The number of millionaires in the country is expected to increase from 59,000 in 2015 to 96,000 by 2020

Qatar’s Ezdan Holding closes $500m 5-year Islamic loan – arranger

The amount was more than 2.5 times covered by contributions from banks

Microsoft says Windows 10 for mobiles to launch in UAE within “few months”

The new operating system has received a positive response in the region, says official

Saudi Aramco says fraud foiled between trading unit and India’s ONGC

Cyber criminals had duped Aramco into making a payment for an order of naphtha from ONGC into their own bank account

TRA launches new feature to test efficiency of UAE’s mobile networks

Tailor made cars, equipped with the smart system, will be deployed when there is a complaint from users about their experience with the network operators

UAE bank ADCB meets estimates with 18.3% Q3 net profit gain

The lender’s earnings were boosted by an 10 per cent year on year gain in net interest income, made from traditional banking operations

Saudi’s SABIC eyes joint-ventures in China, U.S.

SABIC could make an announcement regarding the potential joint ventures in the first quarter of 2016, a senior official said

Dubai’s Aster DM Healthcare in $245m Saudi hospital investment

The investment brings Aster DM Healthcare’s total ownership stake to 97 per cent in Sanad Hospital

Live: Updates from Gitex 2015

All the news and views from the region’s biggest ICT event

Tecom’s Dubiotech, EnPark to jointly form new entity – Dubai Science Park

Dubai Science Park will include over 280 business partners and focus on life sciences and alternate energy solutions

Saudi Electric signs $1.07bn utility contract for housing projects

The contract, signed between the firm and the Ministry of Water and Electricity, is for 29 projects being implemented by the Ministry of Housing

Nakheel awards Dhs 2.3bn construction deals for retail projects

The developer has confirmed the builders of Deira Islands Night Souk, Warsan Souk and The Circle Mall

Dubai’s ruler issues open data law for Dubai Smart City

The new law will make non-confidential data accessible to researchers, investors and service developers via an integrated platform

United Arab Emirates soldier, aid worker killed in Yemen

It was not immediately clear whether there was any link between the killings of the aid worker and the soldier

Saudi’s Naimi says sees oil demand improving

Oil prices have almost halved in the past year because of excess supply

ISIL claims responsibility for deadly attack on Saudi Shi’ites

A gunman killed five people in an attack on a Shi’ite Muslim meeting hall in Saudi Arabia on Friday

Dubai’s property market slows, but developers remain upbeat

Although Dubai’s real estate market has been sliding, the emirate has seen several new launches

UAE job market to gain full momentum in 2017

Opportunities in the lead up to Expo 2020 will result in large-scale job creation, says expert

Home Centre chief not worried by IKEA

The Landmark-owned brand is planning to increase its footprint by 50 stores in the next five years

A $70 oil floor? Fat chance, but OPEC price plan may be first step

Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s de facto leader, has shown zero interest in returning to a strategy of supporting prices

US approves $495m deal to sell Black Hawk helicopters to Saudi Arabia

The deal is expected to help improve Saudi’s defense capabilities

Middle East banks facing rare domestic currency drought

With oil prices, governments are having to shore up their finances by borrowing in the capital markets and investing less money in their banking systems