Middle East ETF News Older than One Year
Capital Intelligence raises Doha Bank outlook
March 28, 2013--The QE 20 Index fell 0.24% to 8,586.26 points Thursday.
Doha Bank slipped 0.32% to QR47.05. The lender said that rating agency Capital Intelligence (CI) has affirmed Doha Bank's financial strength rating at 'A'. CI has assigned a positive rating (upgraded from stable) on Doha bank's foreign currency outlook. "The affirmation of ratings and the positive outlook reflects the bank’s very strong retail franchise, growing international network, improving asset quality, strengthening capital adequacy and sound profitability," said the lender in a statement to the QE. The long and the short term foreign currency ratings were also affirmed at 'A' and 'A2' respectively. The Bank’s support rating was affirmed at '2'.
Source: AME Info
ADIB gains, injects Dhs600m into Manazel Real Estate
March 28, 2013--The ADX General Index advanced 0.41% to reach 3,017.72 points.
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank or ADIB added 1.10% to hit Dhs3.66. Earlier in the day ADIB said it was providing Dhs600m ($163.62m) to Abu Dhabi-based Manazel Real Estate, a private joint stock company "to fund the firm's financial obligations and capital expenditure." Manazel develops the Capital Mall, the Dunes Village in Dubai and the Alreef Villas in Abu Dhabi, among other projects. Earlier in the day Abdul Aziz Alghurair, chairman of the UAE banking association said lenders in the Gulf states improved capitalisation levels and costs of borrowing have declined. He confirmed having met with the UAE central bank on Wednesday and that the proposal of the UAE BA was on the table to raise the edge of mortage loans for 80% for UAE nationals and to 75% for expats.
Source: AME Info
Dubai market digests Cyprus woes
March 28, 2013--The DFM General Index added 0.45% to reach 1,844.89 points Thursday amid thin trading.
The gauge recovered after it shaved the lower Bollinger Band Wednesday and hit a 2-month low. Emaar as the most liquid share jumped 2.76% to reach Dhs5.21. "Cyprus is too small to matter," said Marc McFarland, CIO Emirates NBD (off 4.02% at Dhs3.82) Private Banking in his weekly economic commentary published earlier in the day, but added that "this isn't over." Capital would flow even more to save haven assets. "data from the US and Emerging Markets continues to emerge in better shape," said the expert. Gulf General Investment Co. or GGICO gained the most (up 5.11% at Dhs0.35).
Source: AME Info
Bank shares keep Bahrain market afloat
March 28, 2013--The Bahrain All-Share Index closed insignificantly higher at 1,086.08 points Thursday.
Bahrain Islamic Bank gained the most (up 9.20%), followed by Gulf Finance House (GFH, 3.57% higher). GFH postponed its annual general meeting to April 4 as the AGM today was unable to meet the required quorum.
Source: AME Info
Zain KSA extends one more time SR9bn loan maturity
March 27, 2013--The Saudi equity market index Tasi closed flat at 7,177.62 points, so did market bellwether Sabic (even at SR97.50. Mobile Telecommunications Company Saudi Arabia, or Zain KSA (an affiliate of Kuwait's Zain) slipped 1.18% to close at SR8.35.
Earlier in the day Zain KSA said that the syndicate of financiers under the Murabaha facility of approximately SR9bn ($2.4bn) has unanimously consented to a further extension of the maturity date of the Murabaha Facility to April 30 2013. It is the 8th extension of this particular Shar'iah-compliant facility, the last extension "expired" today, March 27. Zain KSA added it "currently prepares with the syndicate of financiers to finalize the arrangements of the new long-term financing agreement that is intended to replace the Murabaha facility and intends to use the extension period to finalise such long-term financing arrangements."
Source: AME Info
DP World shares fall below $14
March 27, 2013--The FTSE NASDAQ Dubai UAE 20 Index closed 1.43% lower at 2188.23 Wednesday.
Dubai Ports (DP) ended off 0.57% at $13.92. On March 13, the world's 3rd biggest maritime port operator, controllng 10% of the world's container terminals, hit a 5-year high at $14.40, but retreated since then, also because fund managers apparently cash in their profits ahead of the end of Q1 2013. In the last 12 months, DPW gained 24% in value.
Source: AME Info
Bahrain Bourse washout halted
March 26, 2013--The Manama-based Bahrain All-Share index ended a 3-day losing streak, added 0.15% to reach 1,087.04 points Tuesday.
Blue chip shares gained across the board. Islamic bank Ithmaar surged 2.33% to reach $0.22. Bahrain Telecommunications or Batelco closed one percent higher at BD0.392. Gulf Finance House, known as GFH, failed to follow the pack and dived 6.90% to $0.135. Earlier in the day GFH said Mr. Naif Abdulla Al-Ali has resigned as a member of the Islamic bank's board of directors. "The vacant position shall be replaced at the annual general meeting to be held on March 28," said GFH in a statement to the Bahrain Bourse.
Source: AME Info
Kuwait bourse suffers a blow from Q1 blues
March 25, 2013--The KSE Market Index lost 1.51% Monday, closing at 6,689.69 points.
YTD, the gauge gained 12.73%, represening one of the best Q1 performances in years. As the end of March approaches, fund managers started to book profits in order to present to their clients a polished quarterly performance. The oil and gas sector index lost 4.87%. Gulf Petroleum Investment dived 6.75% to KD0.138. The northern Gulf state's second lender Commercial Bank of Kuwait bucked the trend, finishing up 1.50% at KD0.690. [AMEInfo.com]
Source: AME Info
NCB: Saudi Economic Review Monday
March 25, 2013--The spread between Brent and WTI is forecast to average USD16 a barrel this year, and to narrow to USD9 a barrel in 2014, as the increasing pipeline capacity will lower the cost of shipping oil from the central US to refineries on the Gulf of Mexico coast.
The Yen has been steadily assuming a downward trajectory since the beginning of the year, mainly influenced by announcements of fiscal and monetary stimuli.
China’s consumption for copper by 8% to a record 8.8 million metric tons in 2013 driven by an improving Chinese manufacturing sector.
Even though M0 gained 13.3% Y/Y, the M/M contraction was mainly due to deposits with SAMA, as banks opted to utilize their funds by withdrawing nearly SAR 12.9 billion to accommodate credit expansions and customer withdrawals.
Local investor’s pessimistic approach has been pressuring stock prices and the confidence post the 2006 market collapse has never been regained.
The banking system is expected to soften the pace of credit to avoid overheating their balance sheets. In our opinion, the pace of credit will slightly moderate during 2013.
Supported by the recent strengthening of the greenback, lower prices of imports encouraged demand for LCs.
Source: Zawya
Egypt approves sukuk law
March 19, 2013--Egypt's parliament has approved a law allowing the issuance of Islamic bonds which could provide the heavily-indebted government with a new form of finance, Reuters has reported.
Finance minister Al-Mursi Al-Sayed Hegazy said last month that Egypt could raise around $10bn a year from the sukuk market, but added that it would take at least three months to push through the necessary regulations. The government is currently seeking a $4.8bn loan from the International Monetary Fund to support its ailing economy.
Source: AME Info
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