ABU DHABI / WAM The UAE maintained its lead in attracting the highest amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to the Arab region in 2017, according to a top official at the Ministry of Economy. “The UAE was recipient of 40 percent of FDI inflows into Arab and Western Asian countries and 23.3 percent of FDIs directed to Middle …

Dubai / Emirates Business The Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region is home to some of the most exciting projects markets in the world. With an estimated $3.5 trillion worth of projects planned across the region, the pipeline of future projects is vast. Data from Meed Projects show that construction, which covers private real estate and public buildings, represents …

Dubai / Emirates Business HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Free Zones Council (DFZ Council), noted that Dubai’s free zones have made a significant contribution to the growth of non-oil trade. Free zone trade in Dubai hit AED394 billion in first nine months of 2018, accounting for 41 percent of emirate’s total trade during the …

Bloomberg The richest people on earth lost $511 billion this year after record first-half gains were obliterated by a succession of bruising market selloffs. Global trade tensions and worries about a US recession dragged markets lower at year-end. It’s only the second annual decline for the daily wealth index since its 2012 debut, and represents a sharp about-turn from the …

Bloomberg The Trump administration outlined plans for selling drilling rights on every acre of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s coastal plain, despite acknowledging potential oil spills and impacts to polar bear and caribou that roam through the region. The Interior Department’s draft environmental impact statement, published online, is a major milestone in the administration’s push to sell drilling rights in …

Bloomberg Crude drilling increased in American fields even as explorers face the biggest quarterly drop in oil prices since 2014. Working US oil rigs rose by 10 this week to 883, according to data released by oilfield services provider Baker Hughes. More than 100 additional rigs have been deployed across American fields this year. It’s likely one of the last …

Bloomberg Wartsila Oyj’s East African unit submitted bids for engineering, procurement and construction contracts to develop grid-connected solar farms in Kenya. The East African nation, which has an electricity sup-ply deficit, is boosting production from renewable sources including wind and geothermal as it cuts reliance on expensive diesel-powered plants. There are about 15 utility-scale solar projects announced in Kenya with …

Bloomberg Bill Franke, who helped pioneer bare-bones airlines in the US and around the world, is expanding into Canada. Franke’s Indigo Partners will join a Canadian investment group that intends to revamp charter airline Enerjet into a low-cost carrier in the mold of Spirit Airlines Inc. and Ryanair Holdings Plc. The first flights are targeted for around September. The plan …

Bloomberg Virgin Atlantic won a court ruling blocking a strike by a group of its pilots during the Christmas and New Year holidays. Judge Akhlaq Choudhury granted the airline an injunction against the pilots, saying the breakaway union didn’t inform the airline how many captains and first officers were striking. The walkout, which was due to start from December 22, …

Bloomberg Saudi Arabian discount carrier Flyadeal will defect to Boeing Co. jets from an all- Airbus SE fleet after ordering 30 737 Max narrow-body planes worth $3.5 billion at list prices. The unit of state-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines or Saudia announced the purchase this week and said it has options to add 20 more of the aircraft, which feature upgraded …