Middle East

Middle East | 7 Jan 13

A new law has been introduced in Qatar making it illegal for companies to conduct any financial business in the country without holding a licence from one of the three regulatory bodies, as the authorities clamp down on unauthorised financial activity.

Middle East | 3 Jan 13

Expatriates who bounce cheques in the United Arab Emirates will still risk criminal charges, the Government has said, clarifying a matter that had been unclear in recent days, in the wake of conflicting media reports.

Middle East | 1 Jan 13

A $3bn plan to create what is being billed as North Africa’s first offshore financial centre in Tunisia is still on, with construction work set to begin this month, according to the Bahrain-based investment bank behind the project.

Middle East | 1 Jan 13

The United Arab Emirates Central Bank plans to limit the size of residential real estate mortgages that expatriates living in the UAE may take out to 50% of the value of the property, according to Gulf media reports, which cite anonymous banking and real estate industry sources.

Middle East | 20 Dec 12

Emirates NBD has signed a deal to buy BNP Paribas Egypt for $500m, subject to approval from the Central Bank of Egypt and other approvals in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.