Arabian Post Staff In the event of another deadlock between Russia and Saudi Arabia, the desert kingdom is likely to suffer a bigger hit than Russia in an extended oil price war, according to Rystad Energy. Rystad feels Saudi Arabia will suffer a bigger hit in all five financial criteria: the impact on oil and gas revenues, fiscal breakeven price, fiscal deficit and foreign currency reserves, budget […]
Arabian Post Staff While the new low oil prices will test Saudi fiscal balances, they have the lowest cost barrels and with low debt can pull on sovereign reserves and take the pain, according to Chris Midgley, head of global analytics, S&P Global Platts. Crude fell sharply on Friday to test $45/bbl on the back of the failed talks and we now expect if to fall sharply as […]
Arabian Post Staff The International Air Transport Association (IATA) sees 2020 global revenue losses for the passenger business of between $63 billion (in a scenario where COVID-19 is contained in current markets with over 100 cases as of 2 March) and $113 billion (in a scenario with a broader spreading of COVID-19). No estimates are yet available for the impact on cargo operations. IATA’s previous analysis (issued […]
Arabian Post Staff The spread of coronavirus continues to deepen the severity of the blow to global fuels demand. Energy consultancy Rystad Energy now expects more than half of global oil demand growth to be lost in 2020. As global stocks increase by the day, the ongoing OPEC+ meeting is unlikely to result in cuts sufficient enough to balance the market, under all of our scenarios. The […]
By Matein Khalid The US dollar is the traditional safe haven currency during times of geopolitical or financial stress even when the cause of a risk aversion spasm is ultimately American, such as the failure of Lehman Brothers in 2008, Obama’s epic budget battles with the Republicans in 2011 and the Trump White House’s drone hit on Iran’s most revered Revolutionary Guard commander on 3 January 2020. […]
By Matein Khalid Thankfully, I was not in the global markets during the Black Death, the Great Plague and the Spanish flu pandemic but coronavirus cases have now crossed 40,000 infections and this is way beyond a local Wuhan outbreak. Despite the blowout 225,000 US January non-farm payrolls growth data, I am alarmed by the global recession SOS in the capital markets metrics I track. One, the […]
By Matein Khalid My tactical idea last week to recommend buying sterling against the US dollar (cable) at 1.30 for a 1.34 target is 200 pips in the money now that the Bank of England kept the policy rate unchanged at 0.75% despite Governor Carney’s smoke signals. Sterling closed at 1.32 on Friday evening and will be well bid next week – hopefully. I expect Governor Bailey […]
Arabian Post Staff Investment Corporation of Dubai, an investment arm of Dubai Government, reported a 4.4 percent increase in net profits reaching Dh10.5 billion despite a 7.7 percent decline in revenues to Dh106.3 billion in the six month period ended 30 June 2019. Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) portfolio companies comprises of 44 business organisations include Emirates Group and Emirates Airline, Emirates NBD. The decline in revenues, […]
By Matein Khalid I had recommended buying the Tadawul ETF iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia (symbol KSA on NYSE) on November 30 to benefit from the post-IPO surge in the price of the Saudi Aramco IPO shares on the Tadawul. This tactical trade was a beauty even before Saudi Aramco shares soared 20% on its Thursday December 12 to peak at 38.7 Saudi riyals (SAR). As I expected, […]
By Arabian Post Staff Boeing and Emirates announced they have finalized a purchase agreement for 30 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes, valued at $8.8 billion according to list prices. The agreement, signed at the Dubai Airshow, culminates discussions between the two companies on the best 787 Dreamliner model to meet the requirements of one of the world’s leading airlines. Emirates had previously signed an initial agreement for the larger […]
By Arabian Post Staff Emirates placed a firm order for 50 A350-900 XWB aircraft worth US$16 billion (Dh58.7 billion) at list prices at the Dubai Airshow 2019. Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, delivery of the first Emirates A350 XWB is expected in May 2023, and will continue until 2028. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Chairman and Chief Executive, signed the deal with Guillaume Faury, […]
By Saifur Rahman Dubai: Emirates Group, which includes Emirates Airline and its ground handling and ticketing arm Dnata, reported an 8 percent growth in profits to Dh1.2 billion (US$320 million), despite a 2 percent decline in group revenues to Dh53.3 billion (US$14.5 billion) for the first six months of 2019-2020 financial year, starting April 1, 2019, compared to Dh54.4 billion (US$14.8 billion), during the same period last year, due to unfavourable […]
Continuing from the previous quarter, average sales prices and rents softened across most communities in Dubai in the third quarter of 2019, the latest Cavendish Maxwell UAE Property Market Report says. The average apartment prices declined by 16.5% over the 12-month period from Q3 2018 to Q3 2019 while the average villa/townhouse prices declined 15% during the period. Rental declines for apartments in Dubai averaged 15%, whilst […]
Whilst the forex market is renowned for its liquidity and volatility, it’s fair to say that some currencies offer a far greater degree of stability than others. Take the U.S. Dollar (USD), for example, which features as part of 84% of all currency trades and accounts for an estimated 38% of the world’s debt. The USD has also performed well of late, having strengthened to a 12-year […]
The downward price corrections witnessed in Q2 2019 in the Abu Dhabi real estate sector appear have to slowed in Q3, with average sales prices for apartments down 1% from the previous quarter and sales prices for villas showing no movement from Q2, according to an S&P report. This suggests the market could be close to bottoming out, however, this will depend on the amount of supply […]
Hassan Ali Mansoor Although the world is faced with geo-political and geo-strategic challenges that are destabilizing markets and economies across the globe, to its credit, the U.A.E. banking sector continues its march towards growth. One of the essential hedges or stabilizing pivots for the banking sector besides the across the sector positive reforms carried out by the UAE Central Bank are sukuks which are Islamic bonds. Put […]
Zoutons, one of India’s largest marketplace for deals and offers, in order to expand its business portfolio, has recently launched itself in UAE. The website, which has so far successfully established itself amongst the Indian and USA customer base, is now unleashing a whole new “online shopping “experience for UAE consumers. The website has been actively initiating as a portal which ensures smooth online shopping experience with […]
By Arabian Post Staff DP World has announced a partnership with Zhejiang China Commodity City Group Company LTD (CCC) to develop the ‘Traders Market’ in Jebel Ali Freezone (JAFZA). DP World will hold a majority share in the 70/30 joint venture. The Traders Market project will span approximately 800,000 square metres, with Phase 1 development covering about 220,000 square metres. Phase 1 Capex is estimated at $150 […]
By Matein Khalid So Boris Johnson was elected the leader of the Conservative Party by 66% of the Tory membership and thus he, not Jeremy Hunt, will go to Buck House to present his credentials to Her Majesty the Queen. This increases the risk of both no deal Brexit and a potential Tory vote of no confidence in parliament, led by Mrs. May’s Chancellor of the Exchequer […]
By Matein Khalid The S&P 500 index trades at 2990 as I write. The risk-reward calculus on the broad index no longer flashes a buy signal to me. The economic data around the world has deteriorated at an accelerating pace, as the decline in global PMI’s, 9% fall in German factory orders and $13 trillion in in government debt trading at negative interest rates attest. Commodities prices […]
By Matein Khalid Goldman Sachs shares traded at 190 when I wrote this article, way below its 52 week high at 245 making it a Cinderella in global investment banking at only 8.5 times forward earnings. It is obvious that Goldman’s involvement in the $7 billion 1MDB sovereign wealth heist in Malaysia has led to global outrage, demands for a $6 billion in punitive fine by Prime […]
By Arabian Post Staff The return of Qatari and Saudi Arabian issuers to the market and high levels of liquidity in Indonesia as well as Turkey’s efforts to tap all available financing sources have boosted issuance of sukuk 17.6% in the first five months of 2019. Foreign currency issuances also increased 15.6% during the period, explained primarily by Turkey’s issuances but also issuances by Qatari banks and […]
By Saifur Rahman Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), the UAE’s first and largest Islamic lender, said, is set to acquire Noor Bank, enhancing Dubai’s position as the capital of Islamic economy and creating the region’s most powerful Shari’a banking group. The combined asset value is set to reach Dh275 billion post acquisition, it said. “The Board of Directors of Dubai Islamic Bank convened its meeting on 09/06/2019 and […]
By Matein Khalid Citigroup, the third largest US money center bank, owns subsidiaries in Latin America whose pedigrees go back almost a century. For instance, Banamex, Citi’s subsidiary in Mexico, is the second largest corporate/retail bank south of the Rio Grande. So it was no coincidence that Citi shares got sandbagged to a recent 61 as President Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Mexico’s $350 billion exports […]
