Trade UAE to revive EU trade talks before year-end The UAE plans to restart trade talks with the European Union by the end of the year despite a broader agreement with GCC remaining on hold, according to a news report. The UAE has initiated the discussion both through the GCC and bilaterally, Reuters reported, quoting trade minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. NewsletterGet the […] July 23, 2024
Transport Adnoc L&S unit awards $2bn contract to Chinese shipyard AW Shipping, a joint venture between Adnoc Logistics & Services and China’s Wanhua Chemical Group, has awarded a $1.9 billion contract to Chinese shipyard Jiangnan to construct “green and low-carbon” ammonia and ethane carriers. The contract for nine very large ethane carriers (VLECs) is priced at $1.4 billion, the Adnoc subsidiary, which trades on the […] July 23, 2024
Media & Advertising Du quarterly profit jumps 46% as subscribers rise Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), which operates the Du and Virgin mobile brands in the UAE, reported a 46 percent jump year on year in net profit to AED581 million ($158 million) as subscriber numbers increased. Revenue grew 7 percent to AED3.6 billion in the April to June period, compared to AED3.3 billion a year […] July 23, 2024
Opinion Artificial Intelligence AI and blockchain can support UAE carbon credit goals Carbon credits have become a critical instrument in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions July 22, 2024
Finance Abu Dhabi-backed Egyptian fintech raises $160m Egyptian fintech MNT-Halan, backed by Chimera Abu Dhabi, a private investment company, has raised $157.5 million to support regional expansion. The International Finance Corporation, the World Bank’s private investment arm, invested $40 million in the fundraising round. The remaining was contributed by Lunate, an Abu Dhbai-based asset management company, Development Partners International, Lorax Capital Partners, […] July 22, 2024
Aviation Mubadala-backed Sanad Group reports 53% revenue growth Sanad Group, the Abu Dhabi-based global aerospace engineering and leasing company, has seen revenues increase by more than half over the first six months of the year. Figures released to AGBI show revenue totalling AED2.3 billion ($620 million) was reported in the first half of the year, up from AED1.5 billion over the same period […] July 19, 2024
Transport UAE company in joint venture to build Baghdad metro A Malaysian engineering company and its UAE affiliate have jointly won a $316 million contract to oversee the construction of the new Baghdad metro. The building of the planned 148-kilometre network and its 64 stations across the Iraqi capital was slated to begin this month and end in 2029. This timeline might be delayed, however, […] July 19, 2024
Education Amanat to list its education platform Amanat Holding, an investment company in Dubai, has announced plans to list its education platform. The move will be the third education-related initial public offering in the UAE in the last two years, following the listing of Dubai’s Taaleem in 2022 and Abu Dhabi’s Alef Education earlier this year. Amanat, which specialises in healthcare and […] July 19, 2024
Economy ADQ: how Abu Dhabi’s ‘baby’ fund is finding its feet Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ may be the younger, smaller sibling of ADIA and Mubadala but there are no signs of an inferiority complex as it executes billion-dollar deals at home and overseas. Most notable was the $35 billion agreement signed with the Egyptian government in February this year to develop Ras El Hekma, […] July 19, 2024
Banking and Finance Rakbank plans first bond to fund social projects The National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah (Rakbank) is planning to launch its first social bond issuance, a news report has said. The Abu Dhabi-listed bank is seeking bids for the five-year benchmark-sized dollar-denominated bond, Reuters reported. The initial price was set at 170 basis points over US Treasuries, with the final pricing expected on confirmed […] July 19, 2024
Finance Masdar taps green debt market to finance expansion Masdar, the UAE’s state-backed clean energy company, has raised $1 billion through its second green bond issuance, made up of dual tranches of $500 million each. The bonds are part of a larger programme to raise up to $3 billion to fund its renewables projects. The bonds, of five and 10 years, met strong appetite […] July 18, 2024
Exclusive Leisure & Hospitality Palazzo Versace auction tied to owner’s finances The auction of the Palazzo Versace Dubai hotel is directly tied to the property’s owner’s financial circumstances and is not a reflection of the hotel’s performance, an executive told AGBI. The hotel itself continues to perform strongly, said Monther Darwish, managing director of Palazzo Versace Dubai and chairman and founder of Palazzo Hospitality, which oversees […] July 18, 2024
Transport Autonomous vehicles pass test in UAE Self-driving vehicles are to be rolled out across the UAE following successful trials in Dubai South. Evocargo, which is headquartered in Dubai, ran the tests and is confident that autonomous vehicles will be available within Dubai South in the first quarter of next year. The company then plans to expand into neighbouring Ras Al Khaimah […] July 18, 2024
Banking and Finance Loan growth pushes Emirates NBD profit up 12% to $4bn Emirates NBD, Dubai’s biggest bank, reported a 12 percent year-on-year increase in net profit to AED13.8 billion ($3.8 billion), driven by increased lending and higher impaired loan recoveries. Total income reached AED21.4 billion after strong loan growth across all business segments coupled with a stable, low-cost funding mix. Lending grew 6 percent year on year […] July 18, 2024
Finance ADGM to cut fees for non-financial business by 50% Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), a financial free zone in the UAE capital, will cut fees for non-financial businesses by 50 percent to minimise potential disruptions for businesses in Al Reem Island during the zone’s expansion phase. Starting January 1, 2025, fees for new registrations for non-financial licences will fall from $10,000 to $5,000, the […] July 18, 2024
Construction Eagle Hills gets claws into Indonesia Eagle Hills, the Abu Dhabi developer, looks set to add Indonesia to its burgeoning worldwide portfolio. A tentative agreement was signed on Wednesday with the Indonesian government to develop $3 billion worth of tourism assets in the Southeast Asian archipelago. The deal has a validity of one year only, with the possibility of renewal, and […] July 17, 2024
Tourism Near-space balloon flights to start from Abu Dhabi next year European space exploration company Eos-X Space will begin operating balloon flights to the edge of space from Abu Dhabi in the third quarter of 2025, as it aims to gain a bigger stake in the $9 billion space tourism industry. The UAE capital will host the launch facility and spaceport, including a hotel complex on […] July 17, 2024
Markets Abu Dhabi National Hotels hires banks for catering unit IPO Abu Dhabi National Hotels, which trades on the Abu Dhabi stock exchange, has appointed banks to work on the initial public offering of its catering business, according to a news report. Citigroup and First Abu Dhabi Bank will oversee on the flotation of ADNH Catering, raising between $300 million and $400 million, Bloomberg reported, citing […] July 17, 2024
People & Lifestyle Dubai launches one-stop hub to streamline government services People in Dubai can now obtain an Emirates ID, register a company, open a bank account and more under one roof following the opening of the Emirates Government Services Hub (EGSH). Owned by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, a member of the Dubai Royal family, EGSH allows clients to access all essential […] July 17, 2024 In association with
EXCLUSIVE Banking and Finance Fintechs having ‘no impact’, says remittances CEO Fintechs are no threat to the UAE-based remittances company Al Fardan Exchange, its CEO Hasan Al Fardan has declared. Al Fardan said there was no intention to drop fees to compete with finance technology startups. To date, he said, fintechs have had “no material impact on our business or our operations. We are hitting record […] July 16, 2024
