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Can the Qatar Exchange retain its tiny year-to-date gain?
December 13, 2011--The Doha-based QE Index declined 0.39% to 8,763.78 points. With today's drop, the QE's year-to-date advance shrinks to 0.95%. Qatar National Bank or QNB advanced 0.20% to reach QR151.30.
Qatar Islamic Bank or QIB fell 0.71% to QR84.00. Qatar International Islamic Bank or QIIB slipped 0.18%, ending at QR55. Earlier in the day QIIB announced the following: "HE Dr. Khalid bin Thani Al Thani, Chairman of Qatar International Islamic Bank (...) met with Morocco’s new Prime Minister Mr. Abdelilah Benkirane in his office on Saturday, where HE raised the idea of establishing an Islamic bank and an Islamic insurance company in Morocco as a pioneering experience that will benefit Moroccan citizens who will own 51% of the bank shares against 49% for Qataris."
Taqa closes even Tuesday, announces result of cash tender for 2012 bonds
December 13, 2011--The Abu Dhabi market ADX added 0.34% to reach 2,448.70 points. Market bellwether Etisalat closed even at Dhs0.52. Abu Dhabi National Energy Company,
known as Taqa, also closed unchanged, at Dhs1.20. Earlier in the day Taqa announced the result of its invitation for purchase or part or all the outstanding $1.5bn notes due October 2012. Taqa accepted for purchase of around $590m in aggregate principal amount of the securities pursuant to the offer.
Tadawul market declines 0.24%
December 12, 2011--The Saudi Arabian equity index Tasi closed a quarter per cent lower at 6,273.27 points.
Sabic dived 1.80%, finishing at SR95.50. In line with the market the banking and financial services sector index also lost 0.25% after Standard and Poor's it is reviewing the rating of 25 banks across the GCC.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
