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

Washington / AP U.S. home prices increased at a steady clip in December, helped by a healthy job market and low mortgage rates. The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index rose 5.7 percent from a year earlier, same as the annual increase in November. Prices rose 11.4 percent in Portland, Oregon; 10.3 percent in San Francisco and 10.2 percent …

Atalanta / AP Home Depot reported better-than-expected profit and revenue in the fourth quarter and comparable-store sales jumped as the company continues to ride a sustained recovery in the housing market. The nation’s largest home improvement retailer also boosted its quarterly dividend by 17 percent. Solid job gains and low mortgage rates have fueled a rebound in home sales. Builders …

DUBAI / WAM Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), has recorded a net profit of AED516 million for fiscal year ended December 2015, representing an impressive 27% increase over 2014. Total revenues for the year reached AED 1.66 billion, a 12% increase YoY. “Empower achieved an annual increase of 6.7% in its cooling capacity, to pass it over 1,115,000 Refrigeration …

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 …