Banking & Finance

Oman Central Bank issues treasury bills worth $117 million

Interest rate on repurchase operations with the central bank (repo) on these bills is 5.50 percent

UAE holds largest share of Arab banking sector’s assets at 24.3 percent: AMF

UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar account for 58.9 percent of total assets in the Arab banking sector

Saudi Arabia announces pre-budget statement for FY 2025 with expenditures estimated at $346.95 billion, revenues at $319.68 billion

The Minister of Finance is confident in positive Saudi economic growth in 2025 and beyond, driven by reforms under Vision 2030

aiBANK announces major brand name, identity change to Bank NXT

Strategic move aims to usher in a new era of growth, digital innovation and customer-centric solutions

UAE commits $30 million to boost Ghana’s biodiversity and climate initiatives

The framework outlines six key investment areas, including biodiversity corridors, reforestation

S&P raises Oman’s credit rating to ‘BBB-’ with stable outlook

The Omani government, along with many state-owned enterprises (SOEs), is continuing to deleverage its balance sheet

Mastercard, Amazon Payment Services to enable digital payment acceptance across Middle East and Africa

The payment service provider will use Mastercard Gateway for quick, seamless, and secure transactions in the region

UAE President directs $100 million in urgent relief for Lebanon

This initiative showcases the UAE's ongoing commitment to supporting Lebanon during its hardships

UAE’s FTA extends deadlines for corporate tax return filing, payment for specific tax periods

The extension applies to short Tax Periods that conclude on or before February 29, 2024 

UAE banking sector demonstrates resilience with robust capital buffers, favorable liquidity conditions, says Central Bank

UAE's real GDP grew 3.6 percent, driven by rise in the non-oil sector, particularly in tourism, real estate, and finance 

UAE reaffirms commitment to advancing green infrastructure, private capital mobilization

Urgency of climate action demands that countries prioritize climate-resilient infrastructure while unlocking the potential of private capital

48,735 pensioners and beneficiaries to receive $220 million in September: Date of disbursement revealed by UAE’s GPSSA

This amount reflects a notable increase of AED91,728,008 ($25 million) compared to the same month in 2023

Sheikh Mohammed meets HSBC Holdings group chairman, discusses strengthening financial partnerships

The meeting further addressed Dubai's infrastructure upgrades, reinforcing its role as an investment hub and trade link

Gross written premiums rise 31.2 percent YoY in H1 2024 to $9.7 billion, reports UAE Central Bank

This increase was primarily driven by significant rises in property and liability insurance premiums

UAE Central Bank raises country’s GDP growth forecast for 2024 to 4 percent, 6 percent for 2025

Growth in 2025 will be fueled by strong non-hydrocarbon momentum and a rise in hydrocarbon production 

Emirates Development Bank underlines need for innovative solutions to drive SME growth

Bank seeks to provide financing worth AED30 billion by 2026 to support 13,500 companies

Investec expands presence in Middle East with new office at Dubai International Financial Centre

The DIFC office will connect HNWIs, family offices, and financial institutions in the GCC, providing advisory services in private banking and wealth management.

Qatar’s Ooredoo Group lands $551.9 million financing deal to propel data center expansion

The deal will drive growth in Ooredoo’s data center unit and open new opportunities in AI and cloud computing

Qatar’s sukuk issuances grow 122 percent to $500 million in H1 2024: Fitch

Qatar’s debt capital market reached about $130 billion outstanding at the end of H1 of 2024 with sukuk at 10 percent

Abu Dhabi Finance Week reveals top finance leaders set to speak at 2024 edition

The 2024 edition will feature over 300 speakers, including CEOs and Chairs from 50 major global financial institutions

Mashreq closes AED-denominated $136.13 million syndicated loan for TDB

Facility launched in July and was successfully subscribed by seven leading institutions from the Gulf region

UAE’s Al Ansari announces $42.9 million interim cash dividend for 2024

The deadline for dividend entitlement is September 26, 2024, with the ex-dividend date on September 27, 2024 

Abu Dhabi Housing Authority and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank collaborate to enhance housing loan accessibility for UAE nationals

This initiative allows eligible citizens to secure extra financing on their AED1.75 million loans for better housing