Oil & Gas New oil minister in Kuwait after reshuffle A new oil minister, Tarek Suleiman Ahmed Al-Roumi, has been appointed in Kuwait as part of a broader cabinet reshuffle. Al-Roumi will replace Nora Suleiman Al-Fassam, who is Kuwait’s finance minister and was overseeing the oil ministry temporarily, the state news agency, Kuna, reported. Al-Fassam stepped in after the resignation in September of the deputy […] October 30, 2024
Transport Billion-dollar deals signed for upkeep of Kuwait’s roads Kuwait has signed road maintenance contracts worth KWD400 million ($1.3 billion) with 18 local and foreign companies. The three-year contracts aim to improve Kuwait’s 8,400km of roads, which are a persistent source of frustration for residents of the Gulf state. Khaled Al-Osaimi, head of the Public Authority for Roads and Land Transport, said: “This is […] October 24, 2024
Analysis Banking & Finance Analysts expect ‘mixed’ picture from Gulf banks’ Q3 results The Gulf’s largest banks are likely to report mixed earnings for the third quarter, analysts say, as pressure on margins lessens the benefit of lending growth. Qatar National Bank and Dubai’s Emirates NBD – the Middle East and Africa’s largest and fifth largest banks by assets – have already published Q3 results. QNB’s profit rose […] October 23, 2024
Economy Kuwait needs to push reforms for economic growth, says IMF Kuwait must accelerate the introduction of fiscal and structural reforms that are needed to increase private sector-led growth and diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons, the International Monetary Fund said on Friday. Kuwait’s economy will contract by 3.2 percent this year because of an Opec+ oil production cut, but will grow by 2.8 percent in 2025 […] October 11, 2024
Aviation Kuwait Airways 2023 revenue soars 16% to $1bn Increased passenger volume and flight operations increased revenues at Kuwait Airways by 16 percent in 2023. The topline reached KD335 million ($1.1 billion) last year, as the number of flights soared 26 percent year on year to 32,839, the state-run Kuwait News Agency reported, citing chairman Abdulmohsen Alfagaan. No details were shared on profit or […] October 11, 2024
Finance ‘Serious money laundering shortcomings in Kuwait’, says watchdog Kuwait faces “serious shortcomings” in delivering effective measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, the world anti-money laundering watchdog has warned. The Paris-based Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) is a global body dedicated to setting standards to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. On Tuesday it said: “Kuwait has an adequate legal and supervisory framework […] October 10, 2024
Oil & Gas BP seeking new investments in Iraq and Kuwait BP is in talks for new investments in Iraq and Kuwait as the company refocuses on oil and gas. The British energy giant is in discussions to invest in three new projects in Iraq, including one in the Majnoon field near Basra, sources have told Reuters. In August BP signed an agreement with the Iraqi […] October 8, 2024
Economy Kuwait’s economy holds up against challenges, says central bank Robust spending and “long-due” structural reforms expected to accelerate following “recent political developments” will help Kuwait’s economy overcome some challenges, according to the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK). Kuwait faced multiple challenges in 2023 in the face of high inflation, rising global interest rates and bubbling geopolitical tensions in the region, according to CBK’s 12th […] October 4, 2024
Economy UAE non-oil growth weakens while Gulf neighbours improve Growth in the UAE’s non-oil sector has slowed to its weakest point in three years, but activity in the Gulf countries continues to be the bright spot among survey results for economies in the Middle East. The UAE purchasing managers’ index (PMI) from S&P Global signalled the emirate’s slowest expansion in non-oil business activity for […] October 3, 2024
Opinion Banking & Finance Kuwait’s first banking merger is long overdue There have been bank mergers in every other GCC state – Kuwait might finally join the club September 20, 2024
Food & Drink Kuwait’s Alshaya delays Starbucks franchise stake sale Kuwait’s Alshaya Group is “not in a hurry” to sell a stake in its Starbucks regional franchise due to the ongoing geopolitical unrest and boycotts, which is affecting its valuation, according to a news report. Discussions are expected to resume next year “if the situation improves”, Reuters reported, citing informed sources. The company, one of […] September 20, 2024
Telecoms Iraqi telecoms firm loses appeal against $1.5bn corruption award A $1.5 billion decision against an Iraqi telecom operator and a prominent Iraqi businessman has been upheld by the International Court of Arbitration, part of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The arbitrators found that Korek Telecom and its chairman and top shareholder, Sirwan Saber Barzani, had “participated in a corrupt scheme” to defraud the […] September 16, 2024
Oil & Gas Kuwait’s oil minister resigns amid energy challenges Kuwait’s finance minister, Nora Suleiman Al-Fassam, has been appointed acting oil minister, after the resignation on Sunday of the deputy prime minister and minister of oil, Imad Al-Ateeqi, amid ongoing political instability in the country. Al-Fassam is also minister of state for economic and investment affairs, having been appointed just last month. She came from […] September 9, 2024
Opinion Oil & Gas October presents Opec+ with a quandary The oil group wants to bring barrels back to the market but it could bow to global uncertainty September 2, 2024
Analysis Tourism Kuwait Entertainment City targets Gulf tourism rivals Kuwait Investment Authority taking over a planned Entertainment City development in the nation’s capital is the latest sign of an upturn in its commercial real estate sector, according to experts. Authorities first announced the nearly $660 million (KWD 200 million) project in October 2019, then relaunched it in May 2023. A study at the time […] August 27, 2024
Oil & Gas Kuwait signs fresh LNG supply deal with Qatar Kuwait has arranged a second liquefied natural gas supply agreement with Qatar. The deal, signed on Monday, consists of importing three million tonnes of LNG a year for 15 years beginning in 2025. A similar 15-year deal was signed in 2020. Kuwait is striving to ease power outages, with extreme summer temperatures putting pressure on its […] August 26, 2024
Banking & Finance Kuwaiti lender sells stake in Sharjah Islamic Bank for $351m Kuwait Finance House (KFH), the nation’s largest lender, has sold its entire stake in Abu Dhabi-listed Sharjah Islamic Bank for AED1.3 billion ($351 million). The off-market sale, also known as a negotiated deal, was executed at AED2.20 per share for 588 million shares, the lender said in a filing on Borsa Kuwait. Off-market trades are based […] August 21, 2024
Energy Heat blackouts blamed on Kuwait’s fuel supply issues Rolling power cuts that have beset oil-rich Kuwait over the last two days have been blamed on technical issues experienced in fuel supplies. Several residential neighbourhoods experienced rolling blackouts over the weekend due to “a fuel supply disruption”, according to a statement from state-run Kuna news agency. The cuts also closed down desalination plants and […] August 19, 2024
Analysis Economy Kuwait overhauls tax system and signs UAE treaty Kuwait, which has developed a reputation as an economic laggard among wealthy Gulf states, is undertaking an overhaul of its tax regime to meet global standards and reduce reliance on oil revenues. The Gulf state plans to introduce a 15 percent business profits tax, new rules on transparency and compliance with international agreements, and an […] August 12, 2024
Economy Gulf non-oil growth softens as costs and competition rise Non-oil business activity in Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia continues to grow, albeit at a softened pace. According to the latest business sentiment survey from ratings agency S&P Global, the overall softening in growth across the three Gulf states was largely a result of increased market competition, rising input costs and capacity constraints. In […] August 5, 2024
