Company Insights Dubai Islamic Bank Banking & Finance Dubai Islamic Bank Overview The Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) was established in 1975 by Saeed Bin Ahmed Lootah. It was the first bank in the world to incorporate the principles of Islam in all its practices. DIB is the largest Islamic bank in the UAE by assets – $79.5 billion in 2023 – and is a public joint-stock company listed on the Dubai Financial Market. It operates around 90 branches across the UAE, is present in seven markets worldwide and serves close to 1.7 million customers. Revenue in 2023 was reported at $4.2 billion. Dubai Islamic Bank says its vision is to be the most progressive Islamic financial institution in the world. In November 2022, the bank sold $750 million of its debut sustainable Islamic bond as part of plans to finance environmental and social projects under a new sustainable finance framework. Significant subsidiaries and associates include real estate company Deyaar Development, the Dar Al Sharia legal and financial consultancy firm, Dubai Islamic Bank Pakistan, Bank of Khartoum and DIB Bank Kenya. Dubai Islamic Bank News Analysis Banking & Finance Mashreq and First Abu Dhabi winning bank efficiency race Dubai’s Mashreq bank, the UAE’s fifth-largest by assets, slashed its cost-to-income ratio, an important banking metric, last year thanks to the partial sale of a subsidiary and more customers switching to non-interest-bearing accounts. The cost-to-income ratio shows the relation between income and the cost of acquiring that income. A declining ratio suggests that a bank […] March 5, 2025 Real Estate Damac tightens yield on $750m sukuk Dubai developer Damac Real Estate Development has sold $750 million in 3-1/2-year Islamic bond (sukuk), according to a document seen by Reuters on Wednesday. The yield was set at 7 percent, narrower than the 7.5 percent initial price guidance released earlier in the day after the orders surpassed $2.3 billion, the lead bank document showed. […] February 20, 2025 Analysis Banking & Finance Share price rally tipped to keep rolling for UAE banks A year-long rally in share prices for major UAE banks still has some steam in it, underpinned by loans growth and attractive dividend yields, analysts have said. In the 12 months to February 11, the share price of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) surged by almost 40 percent. Shares in Emirates NBD, Mashreq and Dubai […] February 19, 2025 Banking & Finance Dubai Islamic Bank ups stake in Turkey’s TOM Group Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) has increased its stake in Istanbul-based TOM Group from 20 percent to 25 percent to seize the opportunity in Turkey’s rapidly expanding digital infrastructure. The Dubai-listed Shariah-compliant bank, which ventured into Turkey’s digital banking and financial technology arena in October 2023, was allowed to increase shareholding within 12 months. TOM Group, established by […] January 20, 2025 Finance Aldar secures $2.5bn credit facility to support growth Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi’s largest developer, has raised AED9 billion ($2.5 billion), taking its overall liquidity to AED27 billion to back its ongoing growth initiatives. The sustainability-linked multi-tranche revolving credit facility attracted orders from 15 global and regional financial institutions. The facility, which has a five-year tenor and incorporates conventional and Islamic tranches across AED […] January 13, 2025 Health PureHealth in talks to buy hospital operator NMC PureHealth Holding, the UAE’s largest healthcare group, is in discussions to acquire the UAE hospital operator NMC Healthcare, sources familiar with the matter say. A deal, if finalised, could be announced before the first half of 2025, sources told AGBI, speaking on condition of anonymity. Other potential bidders had explored the opportunity but were not […] November 15, 2024 Finance Saudi Aramco to raise funds via Islamic bonds Saudi Aramco has launched US dollar-denominated sukuk (Islamic bonds) as part of its fund-raising strategy. The net proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes, the company said in a statement to the Saudi stock exchange on Tuesday. The offering will be open to institutional investors, with a minimum subscription of $200,000. The total proceeds […] September 24, 2024 Analysis Banking & Finance US interest rate cut will impact UAE bank margins UAE banking sector profits have soared as higher-for-longer interest rates boosted margins and loan defaults remained low. Yet analysts predict that imminent US interest rate cuts will squeeze profitability, despite the likelihood of reduced borrowing costs bolstering loan growth. Dubai’s Emirates NBD reported a record first-half profit of AED13.8 billion ($3.76 billion), while First Abu […] September 6, 2024 Banking & Finance Bad loan provisions drop markedly at UAE banks Most of the UAE’s top banks have significantly reduced how much they put aside to cover bad loans, in an indication of a generally benign economy and expectations of growth stretching into next year. During April and June this year, banks set aside AED1.3 billion ($350 million) in net loan loss provisions (LLPs) – the […] August 22, 2024 Banking & Finance ADQ in talks to buy Turkish lender Odeabank Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ is in discussions to buy Turkish lender Odeabank as it seeks to expand its international footprint. The fund has been engaged in talks over the past few months to buy the bank owned by Lebanon’s Bank Audi SAL, Bloomberg reported quoting informed sources. However, the report said that no final […] August 14, 2024 Posts navigation 1 2 … 6 Next
Analysis Banking & Finance Mashreq and First Abu Dhabi winning bank efficiency race Dubai’s Mashreq bank, the UAE’s fifth-largest by assets, slashed its cost-to-income ratio, an important banking metric, last year thanks to the partial sale of a subsidiary and more customers switching to non-interest-bearing accounts. The cost-to-income ratio shows the relation between income and the cost of acquiring that income. A declining ratio suggests that a bank […] March 5, 2025
Real Estate Damac tightens yield on $750m sukuk Dubai developer Damac Real Estate Development has sold $750 million in 3-1/2-year Islamic bond (sukuk), according to a document seen by Reuters on Wednesday. The yield was set at 7 percent, narrower than the 7.5 percent initial price guidance released earlier in the day after the orders surpassed $2.3 billion, the lead bank document showed. […] February 20, 2025
Analysis Banking & Finance Share price rally tipped to keep rolling for UAE banks A year-long rally in share prices for major UAE banks still has some steam in it, underpinned by loans growth and attractive dividend yields, analysts have said. In the 12 months to February 11, the share price of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) surged by almost 40 percent. Shares in Emirates NBD, Mashreq and Dubai […] February 19, 2025
Banking & Finance Dubai Islamic Bank ups stake in Turkey’s TOM Group Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) has increased its stake in Istanbul-based TOM Group from 20 percent to 25 percent to seize the opportunity in Turkey’s rapidly expanding digital infrastructure. The Dubai-listed Shariah-compliant bank, which ventured into Turkey’s digital banking and financial technology arena in October 2023, was allowed to increase shareholding within 12 months. TOM Group, established by […] January 20, 2025
Finance Aldar secures $2.5bn credit facility to support growth Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi’s largest developer, has raised AED9 billion ($2.5 billion), taking its overall liquidity to AED27 billion to back its ongoing growth initiatives. The sustainability-linked multi-tranche revolving credit facility attracted orders from 15 global and regional financial institutions. The facility, which has a five-year tenor and incorporates conventional and Islamic tranches across AED […] January 13, 2025
Health PureHealth in talks to buy hospital operator NMC PureHealth Holding, the UAE’s largest healthcare group, is in discussions to acquire the UAE hospital operator NMC Healthcare, sources familiar with the matter say. A deal, if finalised, could be announced before the first half of 2025, sources told AGBI, speaking on condition of anonymity. Other potential bidders had explored the opportunity but were not […] November 15, 2024
Finance Saudi Aramco to raise funds via Islamic bonds Saudi Aramco has launched US dollar-denominated sukuk (Islamic bonds) as part of its fund-raising strategy. The net proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes, the company said in a statement to the Saudi stock exchange on Tuesday. The offering will be open to institutional investors, with a minimum subscription of $200,000. The total proceeds […] September 24, 2024
Analysis Banking & Finance US interest rate cut will impact UAE bank margins UAE banking sector profits have soared as higher-for-longer interest rates boosted margins and loan defaults remained low. Yet analysts predict that imminent US interest rate cuts will squeeze profitability, despite the likelihood of reduced borrowing costs bolstering loan growth. Dubai’s Emirates NBD reported a record first-half profit of AED13.8 billion ($3.76 billion), while First Abu […] September 6, 2024
Banking & Finance Bad loan provisions drop markedly at UAE banks Most of the UAE’s top banks have significantly reduced how much they put aside to cover bad loans, in an indication of a generally benign economy and expectations of growth stretching into next year. During April and June this year, banks set aside AED1.3 billion ($350 million) in net loan loss provisions (LLPs) – the […] August 22, 2024
Banking & Finance ADQ in talks to buy Turkish lender Odeabank Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ is in discussions to buy Turkish lender Odeabank as it seeks to expand its international footprint. The fund has been engaged in talks over the past few months to buy the bank owned by Lebanon’s Bank Audi SAL, Bloomberg reported quoting informed sources. However, the report said that no final […] August 14, 2024
