Bloomberg Access Bank Plc, Nigeria’s biggest lender, plans to more than double customer numbers over the next three years by expanding in the rest of Africa. The Lagos-based lender is creating a holding company structure that will enable it to diversify into other financial services separately from the banking business. Access Bank, which has plans to be present in 22 ...

Bloomberg Global stocks advanced for a second day as investors cheered the start of US President-elect Joe Biden’s formal transition. The dollar extended its decline to the lowest since 2018. Energy stocks led the Stoxx 600 Index higher, with travel companies and banks also notching gains in a broad advance. Haven assets were weaker, with gold, Treasuries and the dollar ...

Bloomberg Foreign investors are piling money into major Asian equity markets outside of China at the fastest pace in seven years this quarter, as vaccine successes add to the global risk-on mood. Nine regional stock markets have lured a combined about $48 billion since October 1, the most since the fourth quarter of 2013, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. ...

Bloomberg Gold fell to a four-month low as growing optimism over a coronavirus vaccine and signs of a increasing momentum in US economic growth stifled demand for the metal as a haven. Bullion extended last week’s loss after AstraZeneca Plc said its vaccine prevented most people from developing Covid-19, marking another promising development in the quest to end the pandemic. ...

ABU DHABI / WAM President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a decree overhauling foreign ownership rules of commercial companies, as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to ensure a conducive legislative environment and open up economy to all nationalities. The decree, which introduces significant amendments to the UAE Federal Law No. 2 of 2015 on ...

ABU DHABI / WAM In line with its deep rooted commitment to extend a helping hand to support the needy people around the world, especially the refugees, and its efforts to mitigate their suffering by all means possible, the United Arab Emirates announced allocating AED18.4 million ($5.0 million) in support of the recently arrived Ethiopian Refugees in Sudan. HH Sheikh ...

Abu Dhabi / WAM The UAE community will unite in harmony as they lend their voices to a unique performance of the UAE National Anthem for the 49th UAE National Day. The Organising Committee of the Official 49th National Day Celebration is seeking to bring people together by inviting them to record their own vocal performances of the anthem, in ...

Bloomberg Oil touched its strongest level since early September as signs that Covid-19 vaccinations in the US could be underway within three weeks improved the demand outlook. Markets broadly rallied after AstraZeneca Plc became the latest company to report a vaccine that protects most people from coronavirus. Vaccinations will “hopefully” start as soon as December 11 or December 12, Moncef ...

SHARJAH / WAM The Sharjah International Airport Free Zone(SAIF Zone), together with Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the Sharjah Municipality (SM), to support their digital transformation vision, enhance cooperation and upgrade work mechanisms. The MoU is expected to save investors’ time, facilitate, quicken and simplify procedures for completing transactions. It will also ensure ...

Dubai/ WAM AquaChemie Middle East – a leading chemical sales and services company and part of the UAE-based AquaChemie Group – on MOnday broke ground on its strategic, world-class petrochemical terminal in DP World’s flagship, Jebel Ali Port, Dubai. The AED150 million ($40 million) project will serve as a vital gateway, facilitating and boosting the growing petrochemical trade between manufacturers ...