Finance UAE and Qatar keep rates steady in line with US Fed The central banks of the UAE and Qatar have followed the US Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged. The Central Bank of the UAE maintained its base rate on overnight deposit facility at 5.4 percent, the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported. The central bank also decided to maintain the interest rate on […] December 14, 2023
Finance Mena startup funding bounces back in November Startup funding rose sharply in November, reflecting regional and global investors’ renewed confidence in the Middle East and North Africa. Investment totalled $764 million from 42 deals, according to Dubai-based venture capital company Wamda. It was the highest monthly figure in 2023, an increase of 390 percent from October’s figure and a year-on-year rise of […] December 14, 2023
Media & Advertising Saudi’s MBC Group prices IPO at top of the range Strong investor demand has led Saudi media company MBC Group to price its initial public offering (IPO) at SAR25 per share, the top of a range published earlier this month. The price implies a market capitalisation of SAR8.3 billion ($2.2 billion) at listing, said IPO manager HSBC in a filing to the Saudi Stock Exchange […] December 12, 2023
Finance Dubai to set up new investment fund Dubai will set up a new investment fund to bolster the emirate’s financial stability and manage its stakes in some public service entities. Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum issued a law to set up the Dubai Investment Fund, which will be chaired by UAE finance minister and deputy ruler of Dubai Sheikh […] December 12, 2023
Analysis Banking and Finance New certification to swell sharia-compliant funds A London-based fund manager hopes a pioneering Islamic finance certification can boost sharia-compliant equity investments worldwide and help ensure Muslim clients’ wealth is deployed to meet both their religious ideals and benefit society. Most sharia-compliant equity funds focus on excluding haram industries such as alcohol, tobacco, weapons, pork and gambling. Yet such a methodology has […] December 12, 2023
Tech Binance pulls out of licence application in Abu Dhabi Global cryptocurrency exchange Binance has withdrawn its licence application from Abu Dhabi Global Market, the main regulator in the UAE capital, but still wants to join an international exchange in Dubai. The troubled crypto operator withdrew its application on November 7, according to the regulator’s website. “While assessing our global licensing needs, we decided this […] December 8, 2023
Finance Mubadala to shift investment focus to Asia says CEO Mubadala, the second-biggest sovereign wealth fund in Abu Dhabi, will shift its investment focus towards Asia though the US remains a key market, CEO Khaldoon Al Mubarak said. “The US will remain an unbelievably attractive market and a key market for us,” Al Mubarak told the Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit. The CEO […] December 8, 2023
Finance Sanjay Shah lands in Denmark after UAE extradition A British hedge fund trader arrived in Denmark on Wednesday following extradition from the UAE to stand trial over allegations he submitted fraudulent applications for $1.8 billion in dividend tax refunds. Sanjay Shah was arrested by Dubai police last year following a request by Danish authorities to extradite him over his alleged involvement in so-called […] December 7, 2023
Finance Sovereign funds struggle to channel trillions into climate finance Sovereign wealth funds that control nearly $12 trillion in assets are unlikely to quickly dismantle the hurdles in the way of urgently needed increases to their climate investments, even as Cop28 talks seek to close the funding gap. Funds such as those of Norway and the UAE Cop28 host, face obstacles including mandates that require […] December 7, 2023
Analysis Banking and Finance Late-year flurry could boost the sukuk market Sukuk issuance fell in the first nine months of 2023 – but this year’s total could yet equal that of 2022, Fitch Ratings’ Islamic finance chief told AGBI. Gulf governments and corporations are issuing sharia-compliant bonds to diversify their funding and ease their reliance on bank borrowing. Sukuk were developed as an alternative to conventional […] December 7, 2023
Finance Egyptian billionaire moves family office to Abu Dhabi Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris is moving his family office to Abu Dhabi, as global investors choose the emirate as a key hub for their operations, Bloomberg reported. Sawiris intends to re-domicile NNS Group in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), an international financial centre, subject to regulatory approval, Bloomberg reported. Sawiris, Egypt’s wealthiest man, has […] December 6, 2023
Video length: 06:23 EXCLUSIVE Banking and Finance Mashreq will ‘follow science’ for fossil fuel fund phase-out The UAE’s Mashreq Bank will “follow the science” when it comes to phasing out funding for fossil fuel companies, according to a senior executive. Mashreq is one of the top contributors to the UAE Banks Federation’s AED1 trillion ($272 billion) pledge to boost their green financing. The bank has committed to facilitating AED110 billion in […] December 6, 2023
Banking and Finance UAE extradites Sanjay Shah to Denmark over tax fraud The UAE on Wednesday ordered the extradition of Sanjay Shah, a UK citizen, to Denmark to face charges of massive tax fraud and money laundering. Shah was extradited to Denmark’s security mission following a decision by Dubai’s Court of Cassation, the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported. The UAE justice minister has also approved the […] December 6, 2023
Finance Turkey’s total reserves reach record high of $140bn The Turkish central bank’s total reserves have jumped to a record level exceeding $140 billion, five bankers’ calculations showed on Tuesday, sustaining an uptrend after it adopted more orthodox policies following May elections. The rising reserves, alongside 3,150 basis points in interest rate hikes since June, have marked a departure from years of unorthodox and […] December 6, 2023
Finance Qatar to sell $644m worth of shares in Barclays Qatar Holding is looking to sell around £510 million ($643.72 million) of shares in Barclays, one of the banks acting on the deal said on Monday, cutting back on its crisis-era investment in the British bank. The deal is set to price at 141 pence per share, or a discount of about 1.4 percent to […] December 5, 2023
EXCLUSIVE Banking and Finance UAE sets up bankruptcy court to rule on disputes The UAE is overhauling its bankruptcy and restructuring law, introducing a specialist court to oversee disputes. The legislation – formally Federal Law Decree No 51 of 2023 – comes into force on May 1, 2024, and replaces the 2016 bankruptcy framework. It will emphasise the importance of amicable resolutions, broadening the scope for debtors to […] December 5, 2023
Video length: 06:23 Banking and Finance How banks are navigating fossil fuel financing Banks are navigating a complex battleground over fossil fuel phase-out: deciding whether or not to fund companies in oil and gas and other high-emitting sectors, they told a Dubai event staged in parallel with the Cop28 summit. The chief executive of ING, the Netherlands’ biggest retail bank, said the company had stopped providing dedicated finance […] December 4, 2023
Banking and Finance UAE banks to increase green financing to $272bn Major national banks in the UAE are to boost their green financing commitments, aiming to exceed a collective AED1 trillion ($272 billion), sources have told AGBI. The banks aim to accelerate financing in areas such as assisting businesses in transitioning to zero carbon emissions, particularly in harder to abate and small and medium-sized enterprise sectors. […] December 4, 2023
Tech Tax-friendly UAE beckons blockchain businesses The UAE is becoming a preferred destination for blockchain technology companies, ranking third globally as a crypto centre, according to a survey. Immigration consultancy Henley & Partners used six criteria to arrive at a global ranking and placed Singapore first because of its government’s close cooperation with banks, businesses and the public in developing its […] December 2, 2023
Sustainability BlackRock targets ‘repair and prepare’ climate investments BlackRock, one of the largest fund managers in the world, has identified investment opportunities in companies that are preparing for or repairing climate-related damage. UAE President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed has also announced that the government is to launch a $30 billion climate-related investment fund with asset management companies BlackRock, TPG and Brookfield announced as inaugural […] December 1, 2023
Finance UAE extends $1bn deposit with Egypt until 2026 The UAE has renewed its $1 billion deposit with the Central Bank of Egypt for an additional three years. The deposit, which matured in June this year, has been extended until June 2026, Egypt Today newspaper reported, citing a central bank report. Deposits of Arab countries with the central bank accounted for more than half […] December 1, 2023
Finance Saudi Arabia extends term of $3bn deposit to Pakistan The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has extended the period for its deposit of $3 billion to Pakistan for another year. The agreement, signed in 2021, was rolled over in 2022, the State Bank of Pakistan said in a statement. The deposit into Pakistan’s central bank was intended to boost its foreign exchange reserves and […] November 30, 2023
