Middle East ETF News Older than One Year
Omani stock market advances steadily, Bank Muscat soars
December 12, 2011--The Muscat Securities Market's MSM 30-Index added 1.05% today, closing at 5,663.86 points. During the last six trading sessions, the MSM 30 advanced 2.29%. Bank Muscat, the largest bank in the Sultanate of Oman,
gained 1.53% to reach OR0.731. Yesterday, Bank Muscat announced the launch of the Bank Muscat S&P GCC Large Cap Index Fund, an index tracking fund which is directed at institutional investors.
Source: AME Info
Qatar Exchange declines slightly ahead of MSCI decision
December 12, 2011--The Qatar Exchange (QE) benchmark index declined 0.10% Monday but remains in the green in relation to its year-to-date performance (up 1.34%).
Index provider MSCI will decide on December 14 whether or not Qatar will be upgraded to 'emerging market' from 'frontier market'. Qatar National Bank declined 0.33% to QR151.00. United Development Company or UDC surged six per cent to reach QR24.50. Earlier in the day Citigroup Senior research analyst Heidy Rehman said in the latest Mena construction projects tracker that at awarded projects worth $8bn, "Qatar is broadly flat year-on-year. We would argue that this market has peaked and that growth will now slow." This complies with the IMF's projection on Qatar real GDP growth which is expected to reach 18.7% this year and six per cent in 2012.
Source: AME Info
Only two banking shares advance at Abu Dhabi bourse
December 12, 2011--The ADX General Index ended down 0.10% at 2,457.12 points. Aldar Properties plummeted two per cent to Dhs0.97, while bellwether Etisalat dipped 0.30% to Dhs9.50.
National Bank of Umm al-Qaiwain or NBQ surged 9.60% to reach Dh1.94, while First Gulf Bank, the fourth largest bank in the UAE, added 1.54%, finishing at Dhs16.50. Some 37.7m shares were traded, valued at Dhs57.7m.
Source: AME Info
Logistics giant Aramex soars, acquires South African Berco Express
December 12, 2011--The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) General Index declined half a per cent Monday, closing at 1,388.19 points. Market bellwether Emaar dived 2.80% to Dhs2.78. Shares of logistics and transportations solutions provider Aramex International posted the second largest gain (up 1.64% at Dhs1.86).
Earlier in the day, Aramex announced today it has completed the full acquisition of Berco Express, a leading South African logistics and transportation company. "Berco Express operates 15 branches throughout South Africa, and employs more than 700 people," according to the media release. Aramex employs more than 9,000 people in 313 locations, across 56 countries. Some 74.8m shares were traded, valued at Dhs104.5m.
Source: AME Info
Bahrain central bank pushes for mergers
December 12, 2011--Ahmed Abdul Aziz al-Bassam, director of licensing and policy at Bahrain's central bank has urged five Islamic lenders to merge early next year, as it seeks to strengthen the banks' capital bases, Reuters has reported.
According to the proposed plan, Al Salam Bank would merge with Bahrain Islamic Bank, while Capivest, Elaf Bank and Capital Management House would merge with each other. Last August, Bahrain Islamic Bank and Al Salam announced they were in merger talks to form Bahrain's largest Islamic lender with assets of BD1.7bn ($4.5bn). The mergers are awaiting approvals by shareholders, al-Bassam said.
Source: AME Info
Egypt's inflation climbs to 9.1% in November
December 11, 2011--According to official figures by Egypt's state statistics agency, urban consumer inflation for the 12 months to November rose to 9.1% from 7.1% in the previous month, Reuters has reported.
The urban consumer price index for November was 120.4 versus 119.2 in October and 110.4 in November 2010, CAPMAS said.
Source: AME Info
Saudi Arabia to allow some foreign ownership of stocks
December 11, 2011--Plans by the Saudi government to open up its stock market are to limit direct foreign ownership to investors with at least $5bn under management and allow each to hold a maximum 5% of a stock's issued share capital,
Reuters has reported, citing two industry sources. Total direct ownership of each stock would not be allowed to exceed 20% of the issued share capital, a source familiar with the matter was quoted as saying. Under the new framework, total foreign investment in a listed firm, including swap notes, non-Gulf Arab foreigners and expatriates in Saudi Arabia, will not be allowed to exceed 49%, the source added.
Source: AME Info
Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange Weekly Market Commentary --December 11, 2011
December 11, 2011--Economic Data Overview
Next week's US data includes several important economic data releases, notably on retail sales, inflation, and conditions in the factory sector as well as the statement issued after the FOMC meeting.
The highlight of the economic data in the coming week is likely to be that for retail and food sales on Tuesday.
Stellar activity over the Black Friday weekend has heightened expectations for a solid report as the holiday shopping season got off to a start. The same-store sales comparisons for fiscal November were consistent with robust sales activity, although shoppers clearly were sticking to looking for bargains. Motor vehicle sales were strong in the month. Prices for gasoline declined, and will cut into the dollar level of overall sales.
The data on inflation will also reflect the impacts of falling gasoline prices, although to varying degrees. Rising prices for some foods will be visible as well.
Data in import and export prices on Wednesday will see some upward pressure in imports as petroleum costs rose for the month. Additionally, the uptick in the US dollar versus some currencies will raise non-petroleum import costs somewhat.
The November PPI on Thursday and the CPI on Friday will probably show only modest increases, at most. Contrary to the rise in petroleum prices, the cost of gasoline has been declining and should restrain any gains in the indexes' respective overall energy categories. Food prices have generally been rising only slightly, but a jump in the cost of some fresh fruits and vegetable will probably offset declines elsewhere.
We will get an early look at manufacturing activity in December on Thursday with the release of the New York Fed's Empire State Survey and the Philadelphia Fed's Business Outlook. Both reports may show readings for modest expansion as they continue to move forward from the softer readings over the summer months.
Industrial production and capacity utilization for November is due on...read more
Source: Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX)
IMF against GCC single currency
December 10, 2011--The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said the costs of having a single currency in the Gulf may outweigh the benefits, The National has reported.
"Without a higher degree of synchronisation in business cycles the cost of monetary union may outweigh its benefits," wrote Serhan Cevik, an IMF economist. To make a union work, GCC states would need to trade more with each other and invest in each others' economies, Cevik said.
Source: AME Info
Saudi market advances after Euro zone tightens fiscal discipline
December 10, 2011--The Saudi Tadawul bourse closed 0.89% higher at 6,302.84 points. Bellwether shares Sabic climbed to a six-week high, finishing at SR97.50 (up 1.36%).
Shares of Wataniya Insurance Company declined 4.10% to SR64.25.
Source: AME Info
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