🇦🇪UAE Legal News

The UAE’s central bank has opted for continuity over surprise, keeping its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3.65%—a move that mirrors the steady stance taken by the US Federal Reserve. The decision keeps the Base Rate for the Overnight Deposit Facility right where it is, reinforcing a sense of predictability in the country’s financial environment. …

UAE Holds Its Monetary Nerve as Benchmark Rate Stays Put at 3.65% Read More »

Geopolitical tremors from the Iran war have begun showing up in the Gulf’s construction and infrastructure pipeline, with project awards across the GCC retreating sharply in the opening quarter of 2026, underscoring how regional instability is spilling into investment decisions. New data from Kamco Invest, drawing on MEED figures, shows total contract awards across the …

Conflict Shock Ripples Through Gulf Projects as Contract Awards Slide Nearly 10% Read More »

A prolonged escalation tied to the Iran conflict could begin to test the resilience of Qatar’s banking system, with potential implications for credit strength, liquidity and bank viability, according to Fitch Ratings, which warned that a deeper or extended crisis could pressure operating conditions across the sector. At the center of concern is not just …

Qatar’s Banks Face Stress Test as Iran Conflict Risks Ripple Through Financial System Read More »

The United Arab Emirates’ decision to walk away from OPEC and the broader OPEC+ alliance may rattle long-term assumptions about producer unity, but HSBC believes the immediate effect on oil markets is likely to be muted. In the bank’s assessment, the bigger story is not an instant supply surge, but a gradual reshaping of market …

UAE’s OPEC+ Exit Seen as Slow-Burning Challenge, Not Immediate Oil Shock Read More »

Abu Dhabi’s telecom and technology heavyweight e& began 2026 with momentum, posting a sharp rise in first-quarter revenue as its digital bets and expanding global footprint continued to pay off. The group reported consolidated revenue of AED 19.4 billion in the first quarter, up 15.1 percent from a year earlier, while EBITDA climbed 16.5 percent …

e& Opens 2026 on a High, Revenue Climbs as Subscriber Growth Accelerates Read More »

Saudi Arabia is laying the groundwork for a more agile mergers and acquisitions market, with the Capital Market Authority unveiling proposed reforms aimed at modernizing how listed companies pursue deals. At the heart of the draft framework is a proposed “shelf registration” system — a mechanism that could reshape acquisition financing in the kingdom. Under …

Saudi Regulator Moves to Rewire Dealmaking With New M&A Rulebook Read More »

Emirates NBD has opened books on a new $750 million perpetual additional tier 1 (AT1) bond, sounding out investor demand with initial price guidance around 6.75%, as Gulf banks continue to tap capital markets for hybrid funding. The planned issuance, structured as a perpetual non-call six-year (PNC6) instrument, is expected to be priced later today, …

Emirates NBD Tests Appetite for Fresh AT1 Deal With 6.75% Price Signal Read More »

The Gulf’s debt engine roared into 2026 with force, as bond and sukuk issuance across the GCC climbed to $55.04 billion in the first quarter, underscoring the region’s sustained appetite for fixed-income funding and the growing depth of its capital markets. Spread across 95 transactions, issuance volume rose 5.64% from the same period a year …

Saudi Dominates as Gulf Debt Markets Open 2026 With $55 Billion Surge Read More »

Geopolitical strain and a stalled post-Ramadan rebound combined to sap momentum from debt markets across the Middle East and North Africa in the opening quarter of 2026, with bond issuance falling 12 percent from a year earlier to $48.1 billion, according to LSEG data. The number of deals also declined 11 percent, underscoring a broader …

War Risk Chills MENA Debt Markets as First-Quarter Issuance Slips Read More »

Even amid war-driven uncertainty rattling markets across the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is pressing ahead with a message that investors appear willing to hear: the IPO machine is still running. The kingdom is preparing for its first public offering since tensions tied to the US/Israel-Iran conflict escalated, with Dar AlBalad for Business Solutions (DABS) stepping …

Saudi IPO Engine Roars Back as Riyadh Defies Regional Turbulence Read More »