The Gulf Time Newspaper One of the finest business newspapers in the UAE brought to you by our professional writers and editors.

Bloomberg Westpac Banking Corp. agreed to pay a A$35 million ($25 million) civil penalty after admitting it breached responsible-lending laws by failing to properly assess whether some customers could afford to repay their mortgages. In a settlement ahead of court, the regulator said in a statement that Westpac’s automated loan approval system had failed to use customers’ actual living expenses …

Bloomberg Russia’s central bank is setting the stage for an increase in interest rates as a weakening ruble fans inflation. Just five months after it stopped easing monetary policy, the Bank of Russia raised the prospect of its first hike in borrowing costs since 2014. The country’s latest bout of currency weakness is combining with a worsening outlook for inflation …

Bloomberg The European Union won’t rush to enhance market access for financial firms outside the bloc, a senior German official said, pushing back against key UK government demands in the Brexit negotiations. Expanding EU “equivalence” rules, which can open the single market to non-EU firms, to new areas such as banking is unlikely anytime soon, said Levin Holle, director general …

GULF TIME Vapiano is set to introduce breakfast for the first time in its history across its UAE outlets, marking an exciting new chapter for the international dining brand. The new Vapiano Breakfast Menu has been created to bring a fresh, social, and relaxed international lifestyle experience to the morning dining scene, offering guests a new way to begin their …

NEW WEST ZONE SUPERMARKET LLC, the registered and exclusive owner of the trademark “WEST ZONE” in the United Arab Emirates, hereby declares that  the company has no procurement or marketing branch operating in any of the Emirates in the UAE except “ Dubai”. The public, customers, and suppliers are hereby cautioned not to deal with any entity claiming to represent or belong …

ABU DHABI/WAM The Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) is calling on investors to collect their dividends through First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the paying agent appointed to handle the process. This comes as a part of its ongoing efforts to protect the rights of shareholders in companies listed on the UAE stock exchanges and ensure they claim any outstanding entitlements …

DUBAI/WAM Capital.com, the high-growth global trading platform and fintech group, has announced it is now offering its customers access to the principal UAE stock markets – becoming one of the first major trading platforms to do so. In a move that reflects the growing interest in the region’s economy, Capital.com is providing full coverage of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange …

ABU DHABI / WAM The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), the second-largest exchange in the Middle East, on Tuesday welcomed the successful listing of Alpha Data, a leading digital transformation provider and systems integrator in the UAE. This marks the UAE’s first IPO and the exchange’s second offering in 2025, reinforcing the exchange’s commitment to broadening the market and offering …