Middle East ETF News Older than One Year
Banks, real estate firms weigh on Kuwait bourse
February 06, 2012--The Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) Market Index fell by 0.30% Monday, closing at 5,840.2 points.
Al-Safat Investment Co. posted the largest decline, falling by 7.5%. The banking segment and the developers index lost the most among the sector indexes. However, Real Estate Trade Centers or Marakez gained the most (up 10%).
Source: AME Info
Saudi Research and Marketing Group shares gain as 2011 net profit soars
February 06, 2012--After more than two weeks of non-stop rising, the Saudi Arabian Tadawul index declined 0.30% Monday, ending at 6,738.91 points. Petrochemicals producer Sabic, the Saudi market indicator, fell by a quarter percent, to close at SR95.25.
Shares of Saudi Research and Marketing Group or SRMG advanced 0.70% to reach SR21.55. Earlier in the day, SRMG said its net profit amounted to SR100.3m compared to SR84.4m for the previous year, representingan increase of 18.8%. The firm named three key reasons for the profit increase: "Firstly, advertising revenue growth by 5.6% over the last year. Secondly, the growth achieved in the education revenues by 39.1% over the last year. Thirdly, the profit increase achieved during the 4th quarter includes capital gains from the sale of the Groups share in Intigral investment, which amounted to 13.5 million riyals."
Source: AME Info
Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange Weekly Market Commentary
February 5, 2012--Economic Data Overview
The coming week will be dominated by the decisions of some of the world's most important central banks. The European Central Bank, the Bank of England and the Reserve Bank of Australia all meet. The tone for global interest rates was set two weeks ago when the Fed Chainman Ben Bernanke stated that it was the committee's desire to keep rates low until the end of 2014.
Limited spending by households as they attempt to pay off debt and lack of credit facilities from banks as they try to strengthen asset ratios means that the emphasis will be on easier credit conditions also this week. The ECB meets on Thursday and while expectations remain that there will be another cut in rates to 0.75% from the current rate at 1.0%, this reduction is not expected to come until the March meeting. Since the liquidity injection in December by the ECB, bond spreads have dropped and liquidity pressures have eased as the bank fought to avert a credit crisis, and the next tender due in the end of February is a further factor that suggests the ECB will hold off on an immediate move to alter interest rates. The Bank of England also meets on Thursday and they are expected to continue quantitative easing by pumping £50 billion of liquidity into the market by asset repurchases. The Reserve Bank of Australia meets on Tuesday and the market is confident of a reduction of 0.25% in rates for 4.0%. This will be interesting to watch as Australia has been leading the global interest rate cycle with rate hikes before any other of the major economies and this week's potentially more dovish tone underpins the persistent requirement of softer rates worldwide. In terms of macro data, investors are looking for a slight moderation in inflation in China on Thursday to about 4% from 4.1% in December.
Source: Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX)
UAE housing market to sink further, analysts point to oversupply
February 02, 2012--United Arab Emirates: Analysts have said the four-year decline in house prices in the UAE isn't expected to end in 2012, as oversupply and concerns over the health of global economy weigh on the market, Reuters has reported.
Growth in the second largest Arab economy is expected to slow this year to 3.1%, which will not help Dubai's property prices to recover after plunging by two-thirds from their 2008 peak. Prices in the emirate will ultimately ease another 8%, while neighbouring Abu Dhabi, which is now showing signs of pressure, will see housing prices fall by as much as 11% this year. "Macro-economic concerns compounded with an ongoing supply-demand mismatch will further delay the recovery of the UAE property market," said Patrick Rahal, manager at Doha-based investment company The First Investor.
Source: AME Info
Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance dips, releases 2011 results
February 02, 2012--The Qatar Exchange (QE) Index advanced 0.80% to reach 8,636.37 points, as shares gained across the board. Qatar Islamic Bank or QIB gained one per cent.
From a chart technical point of view, QIB is attempting to break the QR85 resistance level again, a level which stood firm during the month of December and a the beginning of January. Shares of Qatar General Insurance and Re-insurance declined 0.84%. Earlier in the day General Insurance announced a 2011 net profit a net profit of QR170.1m in 2011 versus QR119.5m in 2010. Earnings per Share (EPS) amounted to QR3.80 in 2011 compared to QR2.67 in 2010. "The board recommended distribution of Cash Dividends of %13 From the share par value, QR1.3 for each share," the insurer said in a e-mailed statement.
Source: AME Info
Etisalat shares add slightly, as firms comments on potential Africa tower sale, India judgment
February 02, 2012--The Abu Dhabi market measure ADX General Index (ADXGI) advanced 0.43% to reach 2,476.62, Real estate firms Aldar and Sorouh both closed flat. Abu Dhabi National Energy Co., known as Taqa surged 2.50%. Market bellwether Emirates Telecommunications or Etisalat (Arabic for connections) added 0.10%.
Earlier in the day Etisalat commented on two issues. Firstly, Etisalat clearified on news published about a sale of mobile phone towers in Africa. Etisalat said that assessment of potential infrastructure sharing or sale was at a preliminary stage and that no decision had been takes as yet. The National reported yesterday Etisalat hopes to reap $500m to $600m from the sale of 4,000 to 5,000 towers in Africa. Secondly, Etisalat said in regards to an Indian court's verdict to cancel all 122 of the 2008 spectrum licensees granted to eight operators including Swan Telecom (Etisalat DB Telecom India), there was no immediate cash flow impact but an assessment of a negative impact of Etislat DB's business plan will be made through an impairment test.
Source: AME Info
NASDAQ Dubai: DP World shares knock at $11.00
February 02, 2012--The FTSE NASDAQ Dubai UAE 20 Index closed flat at 1493.050 today. Market bellwether DP World rose 1.29% to close at $10.99 as 3.5m DPW stocks were traded.
Interior designer Depa Limited ended even at $0.36.
Source: AME Info
Egypt bourse shockwaves felt at Dubai Financial Market
February 02, 2012--The DFM General Index dipped 1.21%, closing at 1,435.96 points as the Egyptian Exchange dived over two per cent Thursday on fears the military could reinstate the martial law after riots in a Port Said football stadium left more than 70 dead yesterday evening.
Part of the DFM losses may also be triggered by profit booking, after the DFMGI gained over six per cent in Januar. Emaar Properties declined 0.71% to Dhs2.78. Logistics specialist Aramex fell half a per cent to Dhs1.79. Earlier in the day, Aramex reported a full year net profit reaching Dhs211.5m, plus four per cent year-on-year. Aramex' fourth quarter saw also an increase of 4% in net profits, amounting to Dhs57.2m. Some 135m were traded, valued at Dhs185.7m.
Source: AME Info
S&P affirms Dubai's DIFC Investments credit ratings
February 02, 2012--Dubai-based DIFC Investments’ 'B+' long-term and 'B' short-term corporate credit ratings have been affirmed by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, Reuters has reported. The outlook for the real estate and financial investments group remains ‘Negative,’ S&P said.
“The affirmation of the 'B+' long-term rating on DIFCI reflects Standard & Poor's lowering of the stand-alone credit profile (SACP) to 'ccc-' from 'ccc+' primarily due to our opinion of the company's weak liquidity position, with $119m of cash as of December 31, 2011, against $1.4bn of debt falling due in 2012”, the firm said.
Source: AME Info
Kuwait banks drag stock market gauge lower
February 01, 2012--Kuwait: The KSE Market Index slipped 0.22% to 5,865.4 points. While shares of National Bank of Kuwait ended even,
Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait fell 1.50%. Islamic lender Boubyan Bank bucked the downtrend by adding 1.1%. Year-to-date the KSE's main measure has added 0.68%.
Source: AME Info
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