Business

Dubai hopes sukuk standards will make it a global player 04 Feb 2013 - 12:41 am

DUBAI: Dubai aims to become a top global centre for Islamic bonds by introducing more detailed standards that ensure issuance and trading obey...

S&P sees pickup in acquisitions by Gulf banks 04 Feb 2013 - 12:41 am

DOHA: Banks in the the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are becoming active buyers again of stakes in banks in the Middle East...

Qatar ranks second in 2012 M&A deals: Ernst & Young 04 Feb 2013 - 12:40 am

DOHA: Qatar saw the second largest number of announced acquisitions in the Mena region in 2012 with 48 deals. The total deals ware...

QFIB acquires majority stake in Al Wasita Emirates 04 Feb 2013 - 12:39 am

DOHA: Qatar First Investment Bank (QFIB) announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Al Wasita Emirates for Services & Catering (WES), the...

GCC completed construction projects worth $68.7bn in ’12 04 Feb 2013 - 12:38 am

DOHA: Building projects worth over $68.7bn were completed in the GCC in 2012 according to an in-depth sector report. The report, commissioned by...

S&P sees pickup in acquisitions by Gulf banks 04 Feb 2013 - 12:37 am

DOHA: Banks in the the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are becoming active buyers again of stakes in banks in the Middle East...

Foreign buyers snap up most of Asiacell shares 04 Feb 2013 - 12:35 am

Investors monitor stock information on an electronic board at the Iraq Stock Exchange in Baghdad, yesterday. BAGHDAD: Foreign investors bought more than two-thirds...

Ahli Bank records QR465.2m profit 04 Feb 2013 - 12:34 am

Doha: Ahli Bank reported its highest ever net profit of QR465.2m for the year 2012, registering a growth of 5.2 percent compared with...

Qatar Exchange index adds 1.55 points; Emaar drags down Dubai 04 Feb 2013 - 12:34 am

Doha: Qatar Exchange index added 1.55 points (0.02 percent) yesterday to reach 8,726.32 points from 8,724.77 on Thursday. The volume of shares traded...

Fiat boss sees Chrysler merger 04 Feb 2013 - 12:34 am

ROME: Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne said yesterday that he expected the merger of the Italian car giant and its US partner Chrysler will...

Egypt central bank to announce forex auctions today 04 Feb 2013 - 12:33 am

CAIRO: Egypt’s central bank cancelled an auction of foreign currency yesterday and said it would announce details of upcoming auctions today, signalling a...

Weekly Commodity Update: Strong January for commodities led by energy; gold needs a catalyst 04 Feb 2013 - 12:24 am

By Ole Hansen (Head of Commodity Strategy, Saxo Bank) Most of the major global commodities have begun 2013 with solid gains with both...

Weekly Money Market Review with IBQ: Large swings in currency markets 04 Feb 2013 - 12:18 am

The US Federal Reserve Bank kept its monthly $85bn bond-buying stimulus plan, and repeated a pledge to keep purchasing securities until the US...

QIB signs QR800m financing agreement with NBK Holding 03 Feb 2013 - 04:16 am

Officials signing the financing agreement in Doha yesterday. Doha: QIB, the leading Islamic bank in Qatar, has announced the signing of a QR800m...

Qatar tops January M&A transaction value table 03 Feb 2013 - 04:15 am

By Satish Kanady DOHA: Qatar has topped in the Merger and Acquisitions (M&A) activity targeting companies in the Middle East in January 2013....

PowerGen to discuss region’s core projects 03 Feb 2013 - 04:14 am

DOHA: The Public Works Authority’s (Ashghal) flagship QR10bn re-sewerage project will feature in the spotlight session of upcoming Doha PowerGen conference. The Middle...

Iranian rial plummets to all-time low 03 Feb 2013 - 04:14 am

TEHRAN: Iran’s currency plummeted to an all-time low yesterday, registering a more than 21-percent drop in a span of two weeks against the...

KPMG hosts meeting to review strategy 03 Feb 2013 - 04:12 am

Officials pose for a group picture in Doha recently. DOHA: Managing and senior partners from KPMG Middle East and South Asia (MESA) held...