Company Insights Emirates NBD Banking & Finance Emirates NBD 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 Banking & Finance Emirates NBD buys outstanding shares to delist EIB Emirates NBD, Dubai’s largest bank by assets, will delist Emirates Islamic Bank (EIB) from the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) after acquiring 100 percent of the sharia-complaint lender, according to a statement. Emirates NBD has made a mandatory cash offer to buy the remaining 0.11 percent stake (free float) in EIB for AED11.95 ($3.25) per share […] February 25, 2025 Markets More dual listings expected as IPO trend continues Last year, eight companies launched initial public offerings (IPO) on the two main stock exchanges in the UAE, attracting more than $7 billion in investment. The same number could float this year and list in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, analysts say. UAE-based technology company Alpha Data has already announced plans to list 40 percent of its […] February 20, 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 Health Waha Capital to expand UAE health business Abu Dhabi’s Waha Capital, a listed company with $3.2 billion of assets under management, plans to expand its healthcare business in the UAE, and could make acquisitions to do so. The company aims to tap demand from the emirates’ expanding population and visitors from India, its chief financial officer said. Waha is part-owned by Abu […] February 19, 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 Analysis Food & Drink Dubai restaurants risk out-pricing customers on alcohol costs The cost of eating out in Dubai’s restaurants is rising, especially if you’re washing your meal down with an alcoholic drink. Last year, Dubai was named the third-most expensive city in the world for a half-litre of draught beer at an average of $10.89, according to price comparison website Numbeo. Qatar was number one, followed […] February 16, 2025 Markets Alpha Data to sell 40% stake in IPO on Abu Dhabi bourse A 44-year-old UAE-based technology company, Alpha Data, is to list 40 percent of its capital, or 400 million shares, on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), the company has said. Alpha Data’s initial public offering (IPO) subscription will run from February 20 to 25 for UAE retail and professional investors. The offer price will be […] February 13, 2025 Leisure & Hospitality Wynn Resorts secures loan for RAK casino The Wynn Resorts joint venture behind the Gulf’s first casino in Ras Al Khaimah has secured a $2.4 billion loan to finance its development. The Wynn Al Marjan Island JV — which includes RAK Hospitality Holding and Las Vegas’ Wynn Resorts — secured the seven-year loan facility, denominated in a combination of AED and USD […] February 7, 2025 Analysis Sustainability UAE companies have mixed success in cutting emissions While many of the UAE’s major corporations are making limited progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, analysis by AGBI reveals that Emsteel (formerly known as Emirates Steel Arkan) is the standout performer. The UAE, the second-largest Arab economy, is seeking to quantify and reduce its impact on the climate, and in November pledged to slash its scope 1 […] February 7, 2025 Posts navigation Previous 1 2 3 … 19 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
Banking & Finance Emirates NBD buys outstanding shares to delist EIB Emirates NBD, Dubai’s largest bank by assets, will delist Emirates Islamic Bank (EIB) from the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) after acquiring 100 percent of the sharia-complaint lender, according to a statement. Emirates NBD has made a mandatory cash offer to buy the remaining 0.11 percent stake (free float) in EIB for AED11.95 ($3.25) per share […] February 25, 2025
Markets More dual listings expected as IPO trend continues Last year, eight companies launched initial public offerings (IPO) on the two main stock exchanges in the UAE, attracting more than $7 billion in investment. The same number could float this year and list in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, analysts say. UAE-based technology company Alpha Data has already announced plans to list 40 percent of its […] February 20, 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
Health Waha Capital to expand UAE health business Abu Dhabi’s Waha Capital, a listed company with $3.2 billion of assets under management, plans to expand its healthcare business in the UAE, and could make acquisitions to do so. The company aims to tap demand from the emirates’ expanding population and visitors from India, its chief financial officer said. Waha is part-owned by Abu […] February 19, 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
Analysis Food & Drink Dubai restaurants risk out-pricing customers on alcohol costs The cost of eating out in Dubai’s restaurants is rising, especially if you’re washing your meal down with an alcoholic drink. Last year, Dubai was named the third-most expensive city in the world for a half-litre of draught beer at an average of $10.89, according to price comparison website Numbeo. Qatar was number one, followed […] February 16, 2025
Markets Alpha Data to sell 40% stake in IPO on Abu Dhabi bourse A 44-year-old UAE-based technology company, Alpha Data, is to list 40 percent of its capital, or 400 million shares, on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), the company has said. Alpha Data’s initial public offering (IPO) subscription will run from February 20 to 25 for UAE retail and professional investors. The offer price will be […] February 13, 2025
Leisure & Hospitality Wynn Resorts secures loan for RAK casino The Wynn Resorts joint venture behind the Gulf’s first casino in Ras Al Khaimah has secured a $2.4 billion loan to finance its development. The Wynn Al Marjan Island JV — which includes RAK Hospitality Holding and Las Vegas’ Wynn Resorts — secured the seven-year loan facility, denominated in a combination of AED and USD […] February 7, 2025
Analysis Sustainability UAE companies have mixed success in cutting emissions While many of the UAE’s major corporations are making limited progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, analysis by AGBI reveals that Emsteel (formerly known as Emirates Steel Arkan) is the standout performer. The UAE, the second-largest Arab economy, is seeking to quantify and reduce its impact on the climate, and in November pledged to slash its scope 1 […] February 7, 2025