European Union and UAE agree to launch trade deal negotiations
Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan "and I just decided to launch negotiations on an EU-UAE free trade agreement,"...Business Economy Geostrategy
$20 million rare blue diamond goes on show in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates -- A rare blue diamond valued at $20 million went on pre-auction display on Tuesday...Arts & Culture Business Culture & Society
Saudi Arabia’s PIF to buy 10 percent stake in London’s Heathrow airport
Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund is to buy 10 percent of London's Heathrow airport from Spanish infrastructure giant Ferrovial, whose...Heathrow, which is one of the world's busiest airports, is owned by the consortium FGP Topco Limited.
Ferrovial bought its stake in Heathrow in 2006 and initially held 56 percent of the hub, before reducing its interest.
Aster to separate its India and GCC businesses
Dubai, UAE - Aster, an integrated healthcare provider, is separating its India and GCC businesses, subject to regulatory and corporate...Under the plan, a consortium led by Fajr Capital has entered into an agreement to acquire a 65% stake in the ownership of the GCC business
The separation plan will unlock value for the shareholders by allowing both the India and GCC businesses to adopt a market-focused strategy
SUV sales ‘offset’ carmakers’ electric gains: Greenpeace
The SUVs produced by Toyota, Volkswagen, and Hyundai-Kia have all posted sales increases of more than 150% over the past...Greenpeace report said that SUVs emit approximately 12 percent more carbon dioxide than sedans
Volkswagen SUV sales soared by 270% over the last 10 years, while Toyota SUV sales have risen by 158%
Iran’s exports to African countries register 185 percent growth
Tehran, Iran--Iran’s export to African countries in the first seven months of the current Iranian calendar year registered a 185...The Islamic Republic's exports to Africa from March 21 to October 22, 2023 showed a more than 185 percent growth
According to an Iranian official, the country would witness $5bn worth of trade with Africa in the next few years
Amazon releases AI chatbot
"Q" will be available only to the company's AWS cloud."Q" will be available only to Amazon's AWS cloud computing customers and will be in direct competition with ChatGPT as well as Google's Bard and Microsoft's copilots
Costing $20 monthly per user, Amazon Q will perform a variety of tasks including summarizing uploaded documents and answering questions about specific data
CBUAE and People’s Bank of China renew currency-swap agreement
Abu Dhabi, UAE--The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and the People’s Bank of China today signed an agreement to...The agreement is expected to boost the strategic partnership between the UAE and China as well as expand the ties in the financial and economic fields
With a nominal value of $4.90 billion, the renewal of the agreement aims to promote financial ties by facilitating the provision of liquidity in local currency to financial markets
ADX set for dynamic growth in 2024 with new listings
"ADX's crucial role in bridging investors with companies, fostering growth opportunities, and reinforcing the UAE and Abu Dhabi's status as...Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange anticipates continued growth and new listings in 2024, says CEO Abdulla Salem Al Nuaimi.
2023 witnessed notable listings like ADNOC Gas and Investcorp Capital, with more scheduled, including the Phoenix Group.
Abu Dhabi IPO Fund looks to launch three IPOs by end of 2024
Abu Dhabi, UAE--Abu Dhabi IPO Fund (ADIPOF) is working on three initial offerings in the technology, hospitality, restaurants, and financial...Al Khawaja said one of the offerings will be for a family business in the financial sector and foreign exchange and remittances
The fund, according to Al Khawaja, considers family businesses as the key to advancing economic development in Abu Dhabi
GCC banks navigate rising rates with record lending
Despite global credit risks, GCC banks thrive with overall lending growth, bolstered by strong performances in Saudi Arabia and the...Despite global credit risks, GCC banks thrive with overall lending growth, bolstered by strong performances in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and robust economic indicators.
GCC-listed banks hit a new record with aggregate gross loans reaching US$1.95 trillion by Q3-2023, as strong manufacturing and project awards boost market scenario.
China announces 25 measures to aid private businesses
Beijing, China - China's central bank and several government agencies unveiled 25 new measures Monday to support private economy.These initiatives...These initiatives aim to diversify financial avenues for private businesses, marking a continued effort to bolster the private sector
These initiatives aim to diversify financial avenues for private businesses, marking a continued effort to bolster the sector crucial for the country's economic progress.
