Middle East ETF News Older than One Year
Samba soars after Fitch afffirms Saudi bank's investment grade rating
May 22, 2013--The Saudi Stock Exchange consolidated at a 1-year high, closing 0.11% higher at 7,363.13 points.
Samba Financial Group gained 0.44% to reach a 3-week high at SR45.90. Earlier in the day, Capital Intelligence (CI), the international credit rating agency, today announced that it has affirmed the ratings of Samba. "n view of the Bank's very strong capital ratios, strong liquidity and continually improving asset quality, the Financial Strength Rating is maintained at 'AA-'", said Fitch. At year-end 2012, Riyahd-based Samba ranked as KSA's third-largest bank, with total assets of SR199bn (equivalent to $53.1bn and a market share of about 12%). By total capital (SR31.7bn) the Bank ranked fourth in size among Saudi banks. At the close of the year, Samba operated a network of 72 branches and employed 3,329 full-time direct staff (2011: 3,057).
Source: AME Info
Bahrain Bourse gains on IMF's GDP growth forecast
May 22, 2013--The Bahrain All-Share Index finished the trading session on Wednesday with a gain of 0.14%, closing at 1,168.86 points.
In its spring update on the Middle East and North Africa, the IMF uograded real GDP growth prospects fro the Bahrain to 4.2% for 2013 from 2.8% amid increased political stability in the Kingdom. In 2014, the IMF said Bahrain's econmy would grow by 3.3%. Shares of Inovest surged 8.93% to reach $0.305. Islamic bank Gulf Finance House hit a 1-year year, closing at $0.175.
Source: AME Info
Qatari shares gain across the board
May 22, 2012--The QE 20 Index added 0.54% to close at 9,085.90 points Wednesday.
Qatar National Bank (up 0.35%), Industries Qatar (0.36% higher) and Ooredoo (gainiing 1.35%) led the gauge's advance. Islamic Holding posted the biggest decline (down 2.87%).
Source: AME Info
IMF-Regional Economic Outlook Update: Middle East & Central Asia
May 21, 2013--Two years after the onset of the "Arab Spring," many countries in the Middle East and North Africa continue to undergo complex political, social, and economic transitions. Economic performance across the region was mixed in 2012: although most oil-exporting countries grew at healthy rates, economic growth remained sluggish in the oil importers.
In 2013, these differences are expected to narrow because of a scaling-back of hydrocarbon production among oil exporters and a mild economic recovery among oil importers. Many countries face the immediate challenge of re-establishing or maintaining macroeconomic stability amid political uncertainty and social unrest, but the region must not lose sight of the medium-term challenge of diversifying its economies, creating jobs, and generating more inclusive growth.
Caucasus and Central Asia: Favorable Near-Term Outlook Provides Opportunities for Reform
For the countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia region, the near-term outlook remains broadly favorable, reflecting high oil prices for the oil and gas exporters and strong non-oil commodity prices and robust remittances in the oil and gas importers. Risks to this favorable outlook could stem from still-subdued world demand, domestic political uncertainties, and geopolitical risks in the region. Policymakers, particularly in the oil-importing countries, should take advantage of the favorable outlook to re-establish fiscal policy buffers that were eroded in the aftermath of the global crisis. Across the region, countries should reinvigorate their reform efforts to address longstanding structural issues, with a view to improving governance, building an investor-friendly environment, developing a more inclusive financial system, and fostering regional trade and finance integration.
view the IMF-Regional Economic Outlook Update: Middle East & Central Asia report
Source: IMF
Kuwait Stock Exchange bucks global markets' retreat
May 21, 2013--The KSE Market Index advanced 1.43% to close at 8,242.31 points Tuesday.
Kuwait Finance House or KFH added 1.26%, finishing at KD0.800. National Bank oF Kuwait or NBK, the country's biggest lender in relation to assets and market value, ended flat at KD0.980. [AMEInfo.com]
Source: AME Info
Islamic Finance: where next for the industry
May 21, 2013--While the comeback of stock market rallies investment banking, the Shari'ah-compliant industry faces its toughest test since it entered its boom phase a decade ago.
I got puzzled when I received a tweet from @Worldmuslimnews on May 11 saying "Islamic finance is out". Are issuances of Islamic bonds (sukuk) not going through the roof as we can read day by day? Could first quarter results published by Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) be better? Inspecting the tweet I realized with relief that @Worldmuslimews simply announced the latest edition of an electronic newspaper on Shari'ah banking.
Source: AME Info
Dar Al Arkan slips as developer kicks off sukuk roadshow
May 21, 2013--The Tadawul All-Share Index ended up 0.66% at 7,355.27 Tuesday.
While market heavyweight Sabic gained 1.62% to hit SR94.25, Dar Alarkan Real Estate Development Company fell 0.56% to SR8.90, after hitting an 8-month high last Saturday. Dar Alarkan started a roadshow to raise $500m through a greenback bond. The firms said yesterday it will laucnh the Islamic bond through several tranches within the next 12 months. The developer which plans to build 50,000 houses in the Kingdom until 2017 has appointed Bank Al Khair, Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Emirates NBD, Masraf Al Rayan and Qatar's Qinvest to manage the first tranche issuance. Saudi Arabia, the biggest GCC country by population, has a housing gap of 5 million units
Source: AME Info
Sabic reaches 1-month high
May 20, 2013--A lacklustre Tadawul All-Share Index closed 0.10% higher at 7,307.36 points.
The gauge stabilised above the important level of 7,300 as oil prices (U. S. crude) stabilised near $97 per barre (up 0.80%). Sabic, the world's first producer of petrochemicals, gained 0.54% to finish at SR92.75. Market breadth ended in the neutral zone as 73 shares advanced, while 70 declined.
Source: AME Info
Qatar Electricity and Water rises, launches power investment firm
May 20, 2013--The Doha-based Qatar Exchange 20 Index rose 0.61% to close at 9,064.31 points on Monday.
Qatar Electricity and Water Company (QEWC) added 0.70%, finishing at QR144.50. Earlier in the day, QEWC said that a partnership agreement will be signed with Qatar Petroleum International and Qatar Holding to establish a new Qatari shareholding company. The company "will be working in investment outside the State of Qatar, in the fields of power generation, water desalination and treatment, heating and cooling systems, provision of fuel as well as fuel loading and unloading equipment." The agreement was signed today at the office of H. E. the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr. Mohamed bin Salih Al Sada.
Source: AME Info
Abu Dhabi developers dip on profit booking
May 20, 2013--The ADX General Index declined 1.15% to 3,523.34 on Monday.
Like in Dubai, real estate firms weighed on the gauge. The two merging developers Aldar Properties and Sorouh Real Estate fell by 1.50% and 4.10%. Eshraq Properties and RAK Properties lost 3.20% and 3.40%, respectively. News that building workers employed by Dubai-based Arabtec Construction were on a strike for a wage hike since last Saturday derogated the sentiment. Abu Dhabi-based sovereign wealth fund Aabar holds 22% in Arabtec which appointed a new head of human resources last Thursday. National Bank of Umm al-Qaiwain gained the most, finishing up 7% at Dhs3.20.
Source: AME Info
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