ABU DHABI/ WAM Standard & Poor’s Credit Ratings Agency (S&P Global) said the profitability of GCC Banks will remain strong in 2024, and their asset quality will stay robust despite higher-for-longer rates, due to supportive economies, contained leverage, and a high level of precautionary reserves. In its related report, S&P stated that the US Federal Reserve Board (FRB) could begin ...

ABU DHABI/ WAM The Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council (ADBWC) and Etihad Airways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support 25,000 women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the capital. Etihad will consider members of the organisation to be preferred suppliers when it comes to procurement and through its “Business Connect” programme will offer generous Etihad Guest Miles benefits ...

ABU DHABI/ WAM Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest industrial company in the UAE outside oil and gas, today announced the launch of one of the first digital manufacturing platforms in the region to unlock additional value through Industry 4.0 applications. EGA developed the digital manufacturing platform with Microsoft as part of a strategic collaboration to progress EGA’s Digital Roadmap. ...

BLOOMBERG US equity futures slumped after earnings from tech giants fell short of Wall Street’s high expectations and as investors prepared for the first interest-rate decision of the year from the Federal Reserve. Contracts on the Nasdaq 100 slid 1.2%, while those on the S&P 500 retreated 0.5%. Microsoft Corp, Alphabet Inc and Advanced Micro Devices Inc dropped in premarket ...

BLOOMBERG European stocks and US futures kept to small ranges as investors looked forward to a rush of major earnings for insights on whether the record-breaking rally on Wall Street can continue. Europe’s Stoxx 600 crept to a new two-year high as media and travel and leisure stocks led gains. US equity futures were steady after another record close on ...

BLOOMBERG Markets opened the week on a cautious note as investors readied for central bank updates on the outlook for interest rates and braced for a deluge of earnings. Oil prices rose amid escalated tensions. Europe’s Stoxx 600 index held near the highest level since January 2022, supported by rallying energy shares. Futures contracts for the S&P 500 and the ...

BLOOMBERG China will halt the lending of certain shares for short selling from Monday, the securities regulator announced, in a move to support the country’s slumping stock markets. Strategic investors won’t be allowed to lend out shares during agreed lock-up periods, the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange said in separate releases following the China Securities Regulatory Commission’s statement. ...

BLOOMBERG Global stocks took a breather on Thursday after recent sharp gains as investors processed the latest earnings news and looked forward to a meeting of the European Central Bank (ECB) and economic growth data from the US. Europe’s Stoxx 600 index slipped and the blue-chip Euro Stoxx 50 traded flat after soaring to a 23-year high. Chipmaker STMicroelectronics NV ...