Wednesday , 11 February 2026

News

Mena sovereign borrowing to rise by 25% to $136b in 2019

DUBAI / Emirates Business The sovereign long-term commercial borrowing in the Middle East and North African (Mena) could increase by 25% this year after falling 38% in 2018, according to S&P Global Ratings. This is chiefly because higher oil prices and fiscal consolidation measures in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries significantly reduced GCC sovereigns’ funding needs in 2018. However, lower …

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Vitol sees oil to rally as Opec, Venezuela cause shortage

Bloomberg The world’s largest energy trader says oil prices are set to rally further as Opec output cuts and American sanctions on Iran and Venezuela cause a “shortage” of the low-quality heavy crudes refiners rely on. “From here there’s probably the potential to be a little bit higher,” said Russell Hardy, chief executive officer of Vitol Group. “Oil supply is …

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Centrica plunges to two-decade low on a gloomy 2019 forecast

Bloomberg Centrica Plc plunged to the lowest in almost two decades after tougher trading conditions in the UK energy market prompted the utility to forecast a gloomy outlook for next year. Hurt both by a government-imposed cap on consumer energy bills and by outages at nuclear plants and gas wells, a target range for average adjusted operating cash flow “is …

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Oil rises on trade talks, Opec commitment

Bloomberg Oil in New York posted a second straight weekly advance as investors focus on talks between the US and China on trade and as Opec shows commitment to curbing production. Futures added 0.5 percent in New York to the highest in more than three months. Trade talks in Washington between a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He …

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UAE becomes number one choice for UK exporters

Emirates Business According to BESA’s latest research, the UAE has overtaken the US and Saudi Arabia as the country that UK companies are most interested in exporting to. The findings come as 83 UK education suppliers have confirmed to exhibit at the influential GESS Dubai 2019, the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) announced. GESS Dubai is the leading education conference …

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Saudi strikes deal to build $10bn China refining, petchem complex

Bloomberg Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its interest in the Chinese market with a deal to build a $10 billion refining and petrochemicals complex as it vies for crude-oil customers with fellow OPEC members and Russia. Saudi Arabian Oil Co, or Aramco, agreed to set up a joint venture with two Chinese companies to develop the facility in Liaoning province, according to …

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UAE, Saudi firms set to build unmanned boats

ABU DHABI / WAM Al Seer Marine, Abu Dhabi based manufacturer of unmanned surface vessels, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Advanced Electronics Company (AEC), a Saudi-based company, to build unmanned surface vessels for the kingdom. Al Seer Marine will be primary manufacturer for unmanned surface vessels in Saudi and AEC will be their exclusive partner. This collaboration will …

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Calidus, GDC ink defense pact

ABU DHABI / WAM Calidus, Abu Dhabi-based a Defence Technology Development and Manufacturing Company, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with GDC Middle East of Riyadh to establish a joint corporation to explore the market in the Mena region for the Calidus B-250 light attack aircraft and to develop in-house capabilities. The MoU comes on the occasion of Idex …

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Senaat, Spain’s Tubacex form joint venture, to buy Nobu group

ABU DHABI / WAM Senaat, one of the largest industrial investment holding companies in the UAE, has announced that it has agreed the terms of a joint venture with Spanish manufacturer Tubacex, a global leader in the manufacture of stainless steel and high-alloyed tubular products (tubes and accessories). Senaat’s new partnership with Tubacex is being cemented with the signing of …

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Brexit threatens to dull UK oil’s allure

Bloomberg Brexit is threatening to spoil the appeal of the UK’s crude in the world’s biggest regional oil market. Seoul-based SK Innovation Co., an Asian buyer of North Sea Forties crude, sees a lower probability of purchases if the UK and South Korea don’t roll over an existing trade deal before Brexit. That’s after British Business Secretary Greg Clark admitted …

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