Analysis Banking & Finance Middle East stock markets set to continue strong run of IPOs The stock markets in the Middle East and North Africa are preparing for a strong pipeline of initial public offerings (IPOs) in the coming months. Bourses across the region are looking to build on the success of 2022 when it saw a record number of 51 IPOs and combined proceeds of $22 billion. Abu Dhabi […] February 1, 2023
Markets DFM operator net profit surges 42% to $40m in 2022 Dubai Financial Market Company reported net profit of AED147.1 million ($40.05 million) for 2022, a year-on-year increase of 41.7 percent. Total revenue reached AED351.2 million, a year-on-year increase of 19 percent. The board of directors recommended a cash dividend of AED134.7 million, equivalent to 1.68 percent of the capital and 100 percent of the total […] February 1, 2023
Banking & Finance Chauffeur firm gains UAE investor for premium Gulf service Chauffeur operator Blacklane has attracted investment from Dubai conglomerate Gargash Group, as it aims to offer Gulf passengers a more luxurious alternative to ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Careem. Founded in Berlin in 2011, Blacklane is active in around 50 countries. It launched in the Gulf in 2016 and currently operates in Dubai, Abu […] January 31, 2023
Markets Egypt to announce listing of state-owned companies shortly Egypt’s cabinet will announce the country’s plans to list state-owned companies on the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) during 2023, Ahram Online reported, citing Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. “In less than two weeks, the cabinet will fully announce the plan to offer all [mandated] companies on the Egyptian exchange in 2023,” he stated. The step follows the recently […] January 29, 2023
Banking & Finance ‘Pent-up demand’ to lift GCC markets, says law firm boss Appetite for GCC debt and equity will pick up this year after a sluggish 12 months, as investors take comfort in a more predictable interest rate environment and the region’s relative political calm. That is according to Jonathan Fried, Middle East managing partner of global law firm Linklaters, who took over the reins heading up […] January 27, 2023
Banking & Finance UAE capital markets set for ‘significant growth’, says regulator If 2022 was a year of recovery from the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, then 2023 will witness “significant growth” in the UAE capital markets. Mohamed Khalifa Al Hadari, deputy CEO of the Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority, told the inaugural Mena IPO Summit in Dubai that there are 11 initial public offerings (IPOs) […] January 25, 2023
Markets Management consultancy for PIF said to list on Saudi market Saudi-based management consultancy TAM Development Co. is planning an initial public offering (IPO) in the first half of the year, Bloomberg reported, citing CEO Abdullah Yousef. TAM is planning to list on the kingdom’s small-cap market, he added, with plans to move to the main exchange within two years. The consultancy derives most of its […] January 23, 2023
Banking & Finance UAE is in ‘first division’ of financial literacy The UAE is in the ‘first division’ when it comes to financial literacy, according to Alex Fraser, CEO of the London Institute Banking and Finance (LIBF). With just one third of adults worldwide being financially literate, according to Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services Global Financial Literacy Survey, the LIBF is involved in the global challenge […] January 22, 2023
Analysis Banking & Finance Rising global interest sets Dubai IPOs on course for strong 2023 Global stock markets may have suffered heavy losses but bourses in the Middle East and North Africa are thriving, recording 42 listings in 2022 and with a healthy pipeline of activity planned for the year ahead. According to Bloomberg data, Mena initial public offerings (IPOs) raised over $18 billion in 2022. This represents 47 percent […] January 20, 2023
Banking & Finance Qatari bank Dukhan set to list on Doha’s main market Dukhan Bank, Qatar’s fifth-largest bank, is planning to go public and list on the Doha stock exchange. The bank, which has total assets in excess of QR100 billion ($27.5 billion), agreed the proposal at an extraordinary general assembly meeting on Sunday. Its share capital will be listed on the main market of the Qatar Stock Exchange […] January 17, 2023
Retail Dubai Mall shoppers up 20% on pre-Covid levels, says Alabbar Visitor numbers at the Dubai Mall are a fifth higher than they were before the coronavirus pandemic, said Mohamed Alabbar, founder and chairman of Emaar Properties, the developer of both the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. Alabbar said economic recovery from the pandemic is not only complete, but has exceeded 2019 figures. Footfall at the […] January 17, 2023
Markets Petromin reported to launch $1bn public offering Saudi Arabia’s lubricants firm Petromin is planning for its initial public offering (IPO) to raise as much as $1 billion, Bloomberg reported, citing informed sources. The company has engaged Saudi National Bank and Moelis & Co. on the planned IPO. More banks may also be added to the syndicate, they said, adding details of the […] January 16, 2023
Opinion Banking & Finance To report is to trust: How to navigate the crypto winter Transparency drives trust, and it's time that crypto exchanges report and comply just like other investible asset classes January 12, 2023
Analysis Economy Why the Middle East is now a ‘must’ for top UK companies The Middle East’s contribution to revenues of major UK-listed companies is predicted to rise to record levels in 2023 on the back of an acceleration in green energy, industrials and infrastructure sectors. Lumina Capital Advisers report that money generated from the region this year will deliver an additional £1.6 billion ($1.9 billion) to UK Plc […] January 11, 2023
Taaleem CEO plans UAE schools expansion after $204m IPO Taaleem, the first education company to be listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), is planning to launch new premium school projects in the UAE “in the near future” following its successful initial public offering (IPO). The company is also on a global search for the world’s best teachers as it announced net profit increased […] January 10, 2023
Real Estate Bahrain’s Investcorp to spend $1bn on real estate across GCC Investcorp is planning to invest up to $1 billion in the GCC real estate market over the next five years, it said on Tuesday. The Bahrain-based company’s announcement follows its first property acquisition in Saudi Arabia: a 215,000-sq-ft temperature-controlled warehouse in Dammam. Investcorp is assessing $100 million worth of potential real estate investments in the […] January 10, 2023
Banking & Finance Mena to host first IPO summit with listings in high demand The Middle East’s first IPO-focused summit will take place in Dubai later this month after recent listings in the emirate proved a huge draw for international investors. Dubai Financial Market and the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) have partnered to host the Mena IPO Summit – Dubai, which aims to unite the entire IPO value […] January 9, 2023
Opinion A positive outlook for Middle East trade and investment in 2023 Over the next year the Middle East will continue to be a beneficiary of inward investment from companies looking for stability in energy costs and availability December 22, 2022
Real Estate Dubai co-working startup eyes new funding as it goes global Hotdesk, an on-demand workspace booking platform based in Dubai, is preparing to launch a Series A round of funding as the startup continues to enjoy exponential growth throughout the region and globally. The company, which provides access to co-working spaces at the click of a button, was launched in 2021. It has since expanded into […] December 16, 2022
Analysis Construction Australian titan grows public-private partnerships in Gulf Plenary Group, the Australia-based investor, developer and manager of public infrastructure with assets under management worth more than $45 billion, is expanding its Middle East operations and has projects in the UAE and Bahrain in its sights. The company has opened its second office in the UAE, in Dubai, just months after launching in Abu […] December 13, 2022
Markets KFC Mena franchisee set for first GCC dual listing next week Americana Restaurants, the Middle East and North Africa franchisee of KFC and Pizza Hut, will list on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and the Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) next Monday, the two bourses said in statements on Friday. According to a circular issued by ADX, the shares will be listed on the exchange under the […] December 9, 2022
Analysis Xi Jinping visits Saudi as GCC looks east on trade When President Xi Jinping of China arrives in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, it is likely to add further momentum to a flourishing relationship with the GCC that surpassed trade with the US and Europe combined last year. Three summits are planned during the three-day visit with over 20 agreements worth more than $29.3 billion expected […] December 7, 2022
