Banking and Finance Bahrain’s Mumtalakat reports biggest profit in its history Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat has posted the biggest profit in its 19-year history, reversing a loss in 2023, according to the Bahrain News Agency. Its consolidated net profit reached BD363 million ($963 million) in 2024, versus a net loss of BD497 million the year before, the state-run agency reported. “The past year marked a […] May 7, 2025
Analysis Employment Oman steps up efforts to curb rising unemployment The IMF may laud Oman for cutting its debt and bringing its budget deficit under control but unemployment in the Gulf’s third most populous country is growing, posing a policy challenge to the government. In January, the month for which the latest data is available, unemployment rose to 3.6 percent, compared with 3.3 percent the month […] May 7, 2025
Economy Bahrain’s current account surplus shrinks on high debt servicing Bahrain’s current account surplus narrowed last year on the back of lower oil revenue and higher external debt servicing, a ministry of finance report shows. The update may add to concerns around Bahrain’s fiscal challenges. A country’s current account balance is a record of its transactions with the rest of the world. Bahrain, the Gulf’s […] May 6, 2025
Banking and Finance Oman’s $83m treasury bonds snapped up by investors Yield hungry investors have snapped up OR32 million ($83 million) in short-term Omani treasury bills. The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) auctioned the six-month T-bills on Wednesday offering a coupon of 5 percent. The CBO said the offer was oversubscribed by more than 10 times. Analysts said the rates on offer through the treasury bills […] May 6, 2025
Economy IMF to review Egypt’s economic reforms this week The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will begin the fifth review of Egypt’s $8 billion economic reform programme, with a team scheduled to arrive in Cairo this week, the IMF said in a statement on Monday. The IMF board approved the fourth review on March 11, unlocking a disbursement of $1.2 billion in a 46-month IMF […] May 6, 2025
Economy Saudi budget deficit jumps fourfold as oil slumps Saudi Arabia’s budget deficit rose nearly fourfold in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, driven by a sharp drop in oil revenues. The kingdom reported a budget deficit of SAR59 billion ($16 billion) in the quarter ended March 2025 from $3.3 billion a year before. Total revenues fell 10 percent to […] May 6, 2025
Banking and Finance Egyptian fintech Bokra arranges $60m sukuk Egyptian financial technology startup Bokra and Aman Holding have arranged a near $60 million bond to help finance credit to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country, Aman said. The Cairo-based startup arranged EGP 3 billion ($59 million) worth of shariah-compliant debt in partnership with Egypt’s Aman Project Finance, a unit of Aman Holding. […] May 6, 2025
Trade Morocco’s trade deficit widens on import surge Morocco’s trade deficit widened in the first quarter after a surge in imports, the economy and finance ministry reported. The shortfall grew by nearly a fifth, or 17 percent, to MAD71.6 billion ($7.8 billion) in the three months to March 31, compared with MAD61 billion in the same period last year, ministry data this week […] May 6, 2025
Economy Omani fund to invest $300m in Algeria’s economy Oman and Algeria have signed an agreement to create a joint venture oilfield services company in the North African country, according to local media. The agreement was signed on Monday. Algeria’s state oil operator, Sonatrach, signed the agreement with Abraj Energy Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Oman’s global integrated energy group OQ, during sultan of […] May 6, 2025
Economy Turkey’s annual inflation falls but target remains distant Turkey’s annualised inflation has fallen for the eleventh month in a row, though the rate of decline is slowing, reducing the chances that the central bank will hit its year-end target. The consumer price index (CPI) rose 3 percent in April while the annual rate of inflation declined to 37.9 percent, according to data issued […] May 6, 2025
Real Estate Dubai Holding to list real estate investment trust Dubai Holding is to list its residential real estate investment trust (REIT), shrugging off local investor scepticism towards the structures and becoming the first initial public offering (IPO) on the Dubai stock exchange this year. The investment conglomerate owned by Sheikh Muhammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the emirate’s ruler, said on Monday that it will […] May 5, 2025
Economy Iraq expects 4% non-oil growth in 2025 Iraq expects its non-oil sector to grow by 4 percent in 2025 after increasing by 5 percent last year, the country’s finance minister said on Monday. The budget deficit was ID 5 trillion ($3.8 billion) last year, below forecast, Taif Sami told the official Iraqi news agency. Citing the International Monetary Fund, the minister said […] May 5, 2025
Oil & Gas Higher oil prices wipe out Oman’s 2024 budget deficit Higher-than-budgeted oil prices wiped out Oman’s OR640 million ($1.7 billion) deficit for 2024, according to the finance minister, although the IMF has warned that the Gulf state still faces economic challenges. Oman posted a surplus of $1.4 billion last year as it sold oil at an average price of $82 per barrel, a third higher […] May 5, 2025
Real Estate Omniyat raises $500m to fund sustainable projects Dubai real estate developer Omniyat has raised $500 million to fund its sustainable developments. The order book of the inaugural three-year green sukuk was oversubscribed 3.6 times, reaching $1.8 billion. The sukuk will be listed and traded on Nasdaq Dubai and the London Stock Exchange’s international securities market. The pricing details were not given. Sukuk […] May 5, 2025
Banking and Finance Bank of New York gets licence for Saudi regional HQ Bank of New York Mellon has received a licence to set up a regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia, it said on Thursday, joining others lured by incentives as the kingdom seeks to boost its appeal as a financial hub. Riyadh has been looking to attract more companies to set up their regional headquarters in the kingdom […] May 1, 2025
Banking and Finance Mashreq Q1 profit down but shares see gains Tighter net interest margins and increased expenses have hit first quarter profits at Mashreq, the fifth-largest lender in the UAE by assets. The Dubai-listed bank said net profit after tax decreased 12 percent annually in the three months to March to AED1.8 billion ($490 million). Mashreq’s shares, which closed at AED242 on Wednesday, are nonetheless […] May 1, 2025
Banking and Finance PIF raises $1.25bn from year’s second debt sale Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has sold $1.25 billion in 7-year sukuk, tapping the bond market for the second time this year. The sovereign wealth fund was able to lower the price guidance to 110 basis points (bps) over US Treasuries from 140 bps over the same benchmark released earlier in the day after […] May 1, 2025
Banking and Finance Saudi startup Erad secures $16m to fund small businesses Erad, a Riyadh-based fintech startup, has secured $16 million in pre-Series A funding to fuel its expansion, according to a press release. Erad provides Sharia-compliant financial services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It has so far raised funding of SAR 100 million ($27 million) in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The round was backed […] May 1, 2025
Banking and Finance Abu Dhabi group creating dirham-backed stablecoin Sovereign wealth fund Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Co. is among a group of companies developing a cryptocurrency that will be linked to the UAE dirham currency. Better known as ADQ, the fund – together with the emirate’s International Holding Company (IHC) and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) – will develop the stablecoin to be regulated […] April 30, 2025
Banking and Finance ADCB records promising early year results Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), the UAE’s third largest bank by assets, reported double-digit growth for the first quarter of 2025. The bank cited an increase in operating income and growth across its core businesses. Rated as the UAE’s strongest banking brand for the second consecutive year by Brand Finance, ADCB reported a net profit […] April 30, 2025
Markets iMENA Group plans IPO with backing of PIF’s Sanabil A unit of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is investing in iMENA Group as the technology company seeks to raise $135 million from investors and prepare for an initial public offering. Riyadh-based Sanabil Investments – which is owned by $940 billion PIF – made the investment among other financiers including venture capital firm FJ […] April 29, 2025
Banking and Finance First Abu Dhabi Q1 profit rises by nearly a quarter First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) reported an increase in profits in the first quarter of this year, fuelled by higher revenue from its retail, wholesale and investment banking segments. FAB’s net profit rose 23 percent to AED5.1 billion ($1.4 billion) in the January to March period, while revenue saw an 11 percent growth to AED8.8 […] April 29, 2025
