Users of smartphones wonder where the technology take them amid markets reaching point of saturation and army of customers looking for cheaper smartphones or reluctant to buy new ones. And with the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) kicking off in Barcelona, the world’s biggest manufacturers are set to feature their latest products that may address tastes of more tech-savvy customers. ...

Regional economic prospects are dimming in Southeast Asia, with unemployment expected to rise and increasing concerns over job security preoccupying many – with Malaysians in particular being the hardest hit – a survey by the Financial Times has found. The survey of jobseekers by the FT Confidential Research found that unemployment was expected to rise in ASEAN after significant job ...

Any doubts that Donald Trump has had a huge (as he might say) influence on the Republican Party were dispelled this month when Senator Rob Portman came out against the Trans-Pacific Partnership. There is no more respected member of what’s called the Republican establishment: The Ohio lawmaker is a confidant of the Bush family, a runner-up vice-presidential pick in 2012 ...

Manama / Emirates Business The Bahrain-based leading Islamic banking group, Al Baraka Banking Group B.S.C (ABG), announced that its total operating income reached one billion dollars in 2015 for the first time since the start of the Group activities 12 years ago due to continued growth in income-generated business at all the Group units, while the net income for the ...

Muscat / EMIRATES BUSINESS Marking its third award of the year, Bank Sohar was recently recognised as one of the best ‘Straight Through Processing’ (STP) banks in Oman by JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and a globally renowned financial firm. Award was handed over to Bank Sohar at its headquarters in MBD by Karim ...

Washington / AP Here’s another use for the smartphone as it invades daily life: in place of your debit card at your bankcash machine. The “cardless” automatic teller machine (ATM) is gaining ground in the US and around the world, with smartphone technology allowing for speedier and more secure transactions. Dozens of US banks are installing new ATMs or updating ...

Dubai / Emirates Business Banks must wake up to the way technology affects the daily lives of their customers or risk being left behind in the smart phone revolution, a digital banking expert will tell a major assembly of financial service decision-makers in Abu Dhabi. Chris Skinner, Chair and founder of the European networking forum, the Financial Services Club, says ...

Dubai / Emirates Business The retail business segment of Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) plans to increase capacity by 40 per cent between 2016 and 2020 across its network of service stations in the UAE. The growth plans include ongoing renovation of two major service stations in Dubai Internet City and OudMetha and the construction of 54 more stations in ...

Sunaina Rana / Emirates Business Italian luxury car manufacturerMaserati has revealed the exteriors of its new addition — Maserati Levante. The first SUV from the manufacturer, Levante will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor show in March.According to Maserati,worldwide launch of the first models of Levante— completes the existing range of saloon and sports cars — will come later in ...

Dubai / Emirates Business InnJoo, the fastest growing smartphone brand in Middle East, has announced its participation at Mobile World Congress 2016, that will be held in Barcelona, Spain from February 22-25. Mobile World Congress is an annual gathering for the mobile and allied industries, organised by the GSMA, and is held in Barcelona, Spain. Last year’s edition of MWC ...