Arabian Post Staff -Dubai National Bank of Kuwait used the Kuwait Oil & Gas Show and Conference 2026 to underline its role as a leading financier to the energy value chain, engaging with policymakers, producers, service companies and investors as Kuwait accelerates long-term plans to modernise hydrocarbons infrastructure while managing the transition to lower-carbon operations. Held over three days in Kuwait City, the biennial industry gathering drew […]
Featuring Renowned Actor Wang Zhuo Cheng and T-Pop Sensation BUS to Boost Thai–Chinese Tourism Economy
BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 February 2026 – ICONSIAM, the global landmark on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, announces a major collaboration with leading public and private partners—including the Ministry of Culture (Thailand), the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), KASIKORNBANK, CP AXTRA “Makro – Lotus”, Alipay +, and Tiger Balm—to host a world-class Chinese New Year celebration. Reinforcing its Destination Marketing strategy, ICONSIAM aims to position itself as one of the world’s premier Chinese New Year destinations through festivities that blend Thailand’s cultural heritage with revered Chinese traditions. A key highlight is ICONSIAM’s spiritually significant location, known as the “Dragon’s Belly,” a powerful symbol of prosperity along the most beautiful curve of the Chao Phraya River. To honor the Year of the Horse, a sacred statue of Guan Yu—the deity of honesty, loyalty, and righteousness, will be enshrined. The celebration will feature world-class entertainment led by renowned Chinese actor Wang Zhuo Cheng and T-Pop Sensation BUS, alongside dragon and lion dances, festive street food, shopping, and cultural experiences. ICONSIAM is confident that foot traffic and spending within the destination will grow by more than 10%, helping to stimulate overall economic activity and tourism in the first quarter. The event will take place from 12–17 February 2026 at River Park, ICONSIAM.
Mrs. Suma Wongphan, Executive Vice President of ICONSIAM Co., Ltd. said “This event reaffirms ICONSIAM’s role as a Global Experiential Destination that captivates visitors worldwide. Our ambition is not only to elevate Thailand’s tourism experience, but also to celebrate the deep-rooted ties between Thailand and China. We have curated a landmark festival that seamlessly blends traditional beliefs with contemporary artistry, creating a special experience to attract global audiences to witness the most magnificent Chinese New Year celebration along the Chao Phraya River. Alongside the cultural aspects, ICONSIAM enhances the festive experience through its ‘Lucky Angpao Mega Campaign’, offering over 8,300 prizes, with expectations of driving more than 10% growth in visitor traffic and 10% increase in consumer spending during the campaign period.”
The2026 Chinese New Year season is expected to generate significant economic impact across Thailand’s tourism sector, aligning closely with the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s strategy in setting the target of attracting 6.7 million Chinese visitors under ongoing visa-free measures. ICONSIAM is confident that the scale and creativity of this celebration will serve as a powerful catalyst in advancing Thailand’s tourism and retail sectors to global prominence.
The ICONSIAM A Prosperous Chinese New Year 2026 key highlights include:
Landmark of Blessing: Visitors are invited to experience profound spiritual power at The Auspicious Guan Yu Shrine, featuring the enshrinement of five sacred manifestations of Guan Yu, brought directly from the People’s Republic of China for the first time in Thailand. Enhancing the experience is the Interactive Blessing Pavilion, showcasing the “Eight Auspicious Horses” through cutting-edge interactive technology that breathes new life into ancient mythology.
Prosperous Celebration: The riverside comes alive with a world-class cultural spectacle led by the appearance of globally renowned Chinese actorWang Zhuo Cheng, who joins the grand procession of the legendary ‘Long Ma’ (Dragon Horse), a mythical creature stretching over 32 metres in length, symbolising success and progress. The celebration is further energised by a breathtaking performance of the dragon-horse dance by Thailand’s leading T-POP sensation BUS (Because of You I Shine), creating a powerful fusion of tradition and contemporary pop culture.
The Miracle of Fountain: At ICONSIAM’s iconic river curve — regarded as the most beautiful bend of the Chao Phraya, visitors will witness the mesmerising “Chao Phraya River Dragon Multimedia Water Feature,” the longest of its kind in Southeast Asia, featuring a choreographed spectacle of dancing fountains, light, and sound.
More than a celebration, ICONSIAM A PROSPEROUS CHINESE NEW YEAR 2026 is a cultural phenomenon that positions Bangkok as one of the world’s most compelling festive destinations. Be part of this extraordinary celebration from February 12–17, 2026, at River Park, ICONSIAM. Discover upcoming events and the latest updates via ICONSIAM’s Facebook atwww.facebook.com/ICONSIAM or call 1338 for more information.
Dubai-based luxury property developer Binghatti Holding Limited has instructed banks to arrange a series of fixed income investor calls starting Tuesday, 3 February 2026, as it prepares the ground for a benchmark-sized, five-year, US dollar-denominated sukuk offering, according to transaction details communicated to the market. The planned issuance will take the form of a Regulation S senior unsecured sukuk under the $1.5 billion Trust Certificate Issuance Programme […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi has added a new regulated player to its financial landscape with the formal launch of EmCoin, positioned as the country’s first onshore, Capital Market Authority-regulated multi-asset investment platform. The company says the platform allows investors to access crypto assets, foreign exchange, equities and other asset classes through a single, domestically licensed structure, marking a notable step in the UAE’s effort to […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi’s sovereign investor Mubadala Investment Company has been awarded more than €700 million in arbitration tied to the failure of Europe’s sprawling Signa property empire, according to creditor protection group Creditreform. The ruling underscores the scale of losses facing lenders and investors after one of the continent’s largest real estate groups unravelled under the weight of higher interest rates and rising financing […]
Market attention has turned sharply to Washington as legislation reshaping digital-asset oversight advances while uncertainty over the next Federal Reserve chair weighs on risk appetite across crypto markets. The convergence of these two developments has sharpened debate over how the United States intends to regulate trading venues, stablecoins and derivatives at a time when capital flows remain sensitive to policy signals. Lawmakers have pushed forward the Financial […]
South Africa’s flagship reform programme is moving into a broader and more complex phase as Operation Vulindlela expands beyond its initial focus on energy, logistics and telecommunications, signalling a renewed push to lift growth and attract investment at a time of fragile confidence. Launched in 2020 within the Presidency, Operation Vulindlela was designed to unblock structural constraints that had long weighed on the economy. Its early emphasis […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Gold prices have swung with an intensity more often associated with speculative equities, unsettling investors who have long treated the metal as a steady store of value. Sharp intraday moves, rapid reversals and heavy retail participation have given bullion trading a momentum-driven character that echoes the behaviour of so-called meme stocks, challenging assumptions about how gold responds to risk, inflation and monetary policy. […]
Aldar Properties is set to begin construction of nearly 3,000 new homes across Abu Dhabi this year, signalling a significant acceleration in residential supply as population growth, job creation and investment inflows sustain demand across the capital’s prime districts. The developments carry a combined gross development value of about 23 billion dirhams, underscoring the scale of capital being channelled into the emirate’s housing market. The projects will […]
Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company is preparing to establish a branch in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, positioning the insurer among a growing list of Gulf financial firms seeking a foothold in India’s offshore financial hub and signalling a sharper international expansion strategy. The move, expected to culminate in an operational launch in the latter part of 2026, follows approval from the Central Bank of the United Arab […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Gold prices are projected to climb to $6,300 an ounce by the end of 2026 as sustained buying by central banks and steady investor demand reinforce a longer-running shift away from paper assets, according to fresh market forecasts that underline the metal’s renewed strategic role in global portfolios. The outlook, set out by J. P. Morgan in a client note, points to central […]
Crypto firms expanded hiring through 2025, with job openings rising 6% to 1,801, as companies pivoted towards compliance, business development and operations roles, signalling a maturation of the sector beyond its engineering-heavy origins. The increase came despite volatile digital asset prices and tighter oversight across major markets, underscoring how crypto businesses are adapting to regulatory scrutiny and a broader push for institutional credibility. While software engineers and […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Qatar Islamic Bank has entered into an exclusive partnership with Alfardan Automotive to roll out a bespoke, Shari’a-compliant vehicle financing programme aimed at reshaping premium car ownership in Qatar, a move that aligns banking innovation with the country’s high-end automotive retail market. The agreement brings together one of Qatar’s largest Islamic lenders and a dominant luxury automotive group, covering financing solutions across Alfardan […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai House of Shipping, a Dubai-headquartered advisory and execution firm serving the logistics and maritime sectors, has moved to deepen its technology and operations footprint by setting up a Global Capability Center in India, signalling a broader push by Gulf-based logistics specialists to tap skilled digital talent and scalable engineering capacity. The company has signed an agreement with InfoSun to establish the centre, which […]
HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 January 2026 – Alternative finance provider F88 continued its strong growth momentum in the fourth quarter of 2025, reporting higher profits, expanding lending operations and surpassing its full-year business targets, reinforcing its position in Việt Nam’s non-traditional financial services market.
F88 continued to expand across three main channels: its nationwide transaction office network, partnerships and digital services via the My F88 application. — Photo courtesy of F88
The company announced pre-tax profit of VNĐ304 billion (US$12 million) for the final quarter, up 47 per cent year-on-year. For the whole year, pre-tax profit reached VNĐ907 billion, more than doubling 2024’s figure and exceeding the annual plan by 35 per cent.
These results highlight F88’s rapid expansion in serving mass-market customers who remain underserved by traditional banking institutions.
As of December 31, outstanding customer loans totalled VNĐ7.2 trillion, up 57 per cent from the beginning of the year, reflecting rising demand and the company’s growing operational capacity.
Disbursements in the fourth quarter alone reached nearly VNĐ5 trillion, up 40 per cent year-on-year and marking the highest quarterly level since the firm’s establishment. Total disbursements for 2025 rose 37 per cent to VNĐ16.5 trillion.
Revenue growth also accelerated. Fourth-quarter revenue climbed 53 per cent to nearly VNĐ1.21 trillion. Lending activities remained the main driver, contributing VNĐ1.05 trillion, or 86.4 per cent of total revenue, up 51 per cent. Insurance services generated VNĐ149 billion, surging 62 per cent and accounting for 12.2 per cent.
This diversified income structure has helped the company reduce reliance on a single revenue stream, while improving overall resilience.
Alongside expansion, F88 maintained a focus on risk management and portfolio quality. The on-time repayment rate remained stable at around 84 per cent. Net write-offs in the fourth-quarter stood at 3.1 per cent of average outstanding loans, slightly higher than previous quarters due mainly to prolonged storms and flooding through November, which temporarily affected borrowers’ repayment ability in impacted regions.
Operating efficiency improved, with the cost-to-income ratio declining to 45.3 per cent from 48.7 per cent a year earlier.
The combination of stronger scale, tighter risk controls and cost optimisation underpinned the company’s record annual performance.
Customer growth was another key driver. Nearly 76,700 new borrowers were added during the quarter, up 26 per cent year-on-year. New contracts almost doubled to 269,000. The proportion of repeat customers increased significantly, with returning borrowers accounting for 67 per cent of contracts, compared to 58 per cent in the first quarter, indicating rising customer trust and satisfaction.
F88 continued to expand across three main channels: its nationwide transaction office network, partnerships and digital services via the My F88 application. The blend of technology and physical outlets has enabled the company to scale while maintaining control over operations.
By the end of the year, the firm operated 950 transaction stores nationwide, up 82 from the start of the year and exceeding its 2025 target.
Strategic partnerships also strengthened distribution. Cooperation with e-wallet provider MoMo now allows more than 30 million users to directly access F88’s secured lending services through the MoMo app. Meanwhile, collaboration with Military Bank (MB) has enabled F88 to operate a agent banking model at all transaction points, processing over 100,000 transactions for MB customers during the year.
F88 Chairman Phùng Anh Tuấn said the results reflected the company’s consistent strategy of balancing expansion with financial discipline.
“Our fourth-quarter and full-year performance demonstrates our commitment to sustainable growth, customer-centric services and prudent risk management,” Tuấn said.
“In 2026, we will continue selective expansion, improve portfolio quality, develop complementary financial services and deepen strategic partnerships to reinforce our leadership in Việt Nam’s alternative finance sector.”
Beyond its business performance, F88 also gained recognition for corporate governance and workplace standards. The company was named a Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and ranked among the top 100 best places to work nationwide by Anphabe and the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Hashtag: #F88
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Money managers at some of the world’s largest asset firms are repositioning portfolios to guard against inflation risks they believe are being underestimated by wider financial markets, even as headline measures show easing price pressures across major economies. Executives and portfolio managers at BlackRock, Bridgewater Associates and Pacific Investment Management Co. have signalled that persistent cost pressures, supply-side constraints and policy uncertainty […]
Corporate earnings calls and regulatory filings across the United States and Europe have converged on a familiar explanation for workforce reductions: artificial intelligence. Executives have framed job cuts as an inevitable consequence of automation and efficiency gains driven by new AI tools, presenting the technology as both a disruptor and a justification. Yet a closer examination of disclosures, hiring patterns and capital allocation suggests that AI is […]
HCMC, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 February 2026 – The Ho Chi Minh City Development Joint Stock Commercial Bank (HDBank, ticker: HDB) recorded pre-tax profit of over VND21.3 trillion (US$820.5 million) in 2025, up 27.4% year-on-year and exceeding its target.
HDBank delivers robust 2025 results with profit up 27.4%.
Profitability and core indicators remained among the strongest in the banking sector, reflecting the Bank’s sustainable growth quality.
In the fourth quarter alone, HDBank posted profit of over VND6.5 trillion (US$250.3 million), a 60% increase compared to Q4 2024.
As of the end of 2025, consolidated total assets reached VND931 trillion (US$35.8 billion), up 33.5% year-on-year. Total funding mobilisation stood at VND832 trillion (US$32 billion), with customer deposits rising 28.2%.
Outstanding loans increased 34.3% to VND588 trillion (US$22.6 billion), with credit focused on sectors featuring reasonable risk profiles and long-term growth potential, including SMEs, supply chains, production and business, exports and green projects. This strategy enabled the Bank to maintain high growth while effectively managing risk.
Total operating income rose 25.4% to VND42.7 trillion (US$1.6 billion) driven by strong growth in non-interest income, which rose 2.5 times year-on-year and accounted for 18.6% of the total.
Return on equity reached 25.3%, among the highest in the sector, while return on assets stood at 2.1%. During the year, HDBank paid stock dividends and issued bonus shares with a combined ratio of nearly 30%, reaffirming its commitment to shareholders.
The non-performing loan ratio remained low at 1.66%.The capital adequacy ratio under Basel II reached 16.7%, among the highest in the industry, providing ample room for credit growth and scale expansion without immediate pressure for capital increases.
2025 also marked a strategic milestone in HDBank’s long-term strategy with the completion of the receipt of DongA Bank subsequently rebranded as Vikki Digital Bank, a new-generation digital bank. In its first year of operation, Vikki recorded more than 2.1 million app downloads, highlighting strong growth potential in digital and retail banking.
Meanwhile, HD SAISON, a subsidiary of HDBank, posted profit of over VND1.39 trillion (US$53.5 million) with ROE of 22.5%.
HDBank now serves more than 25 million customers, with 94% of individual transactions conducted via digital channels.
Moody’s upgrade of HDBank’s credit rating to the top tier among Vietnamese banks in 2025 further strengthened investor confidence in the Bank’s financial strength and long-term growth prospects.
Hashtag: #HDBank
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Aldar Properties has moved to deepen its long-term development pipeline after announcing the addition of several strategic land plots across Abu Dhabi with a combined gross development value of about AED23 billion, underlining the developer’s intent to capitalise on sustained demand across the capital’s prime growth corridors. The newly added sites span more than 2.3 million square metres and are expected to deliver around 3,000 new homes […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund is arranging a sizeable Australian dollar loan backed by a clutch of local assets, underscoring the depth of global appetite for infrastructure-linked credit tied to long-term institutional owners. People familiar with the matter said the AD Investment Authority is seeking an A$3.75 billion facility secured against four Australian assets held by a wholly owned subsidiary. The borrowing is […]
Bitcoin fell towards the $75,000 mark during Asian trading hours, extending a pullback that coincided with weaker equity markets across the region and heightened volatility in key industrial and precious metals, underscoring a broader phase of risk recalibration among global investors. The world’s largest cryptocurrency slipped after failing to hold higher technical levels, with trading volumes rising as short-term holders moved to lock in gains accumulated during […]
Crypto markets closed January in the red despite a policy backdrop that, on paper, appeared more accommodating than at any point in the past two years. Prices slid across major tokens, trading volumes thinned, and investor sentiment softened even as regulatory signals from Washington and other financial centres suggested a shift away from outright hostility towards digital assets. Bitcoin, the bellwether for the sector, ended the month […]
Washington has imposed sanctions on a network of cryptocurrency exchanges and facilitators tied to Iran, marking the first time the United States has directly targeted crypto trading platforms over allegations of supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The measures signal a widening of financial enforcement into the digital asset space as Washington seeks to curb Iran’s access to global capital flows. The sanctions, announced by the Treasury […]
Bitcoin could reach $6.5 million within two decades, according to Matt Hougan, the chief investment officer at Bitwise, who argues that the asset’s structural supply limits and expanding institutional demand outweigh cyclical volatility. Hougan’s outlook lands after a punishing year for digital assets in 2025, when tighter financial conditions, regulatory uncertainty and a cooling risk appetite weighed on prices. He expects a period of sideways trading to […]
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