The Hague / AFP Dutch bank ING, the country’s biggest lender, said on Wednesday that its second-quarter operating profits rose by more than a quarter as it boosted lending. Underlying net profit, which strips out one-off items, rose by 26.7 percent to 1.4 billion euros ($1.6 billion). Net profit more than quadrupled to 1.3 billion euros, but the huge increase ...

  London / Bloomberg Three of the UK’s biggest banks face extra charges of about 1.5 billion pounds ($2 billion) after the Financial Conduct Authority said it will probably delay a deadline on payment protection insurance complaints by a year, according to Citigroup Inc. Lloyds Banking Group Plc may have to set aside an additional 750 million pounds to cover ...

  The US is running out of places for people to live. Rent is a bigger and bigger part of our cost of living. Here is an index of rental prices divided by median household income: Lots of people have been wondering what to do about this problem. One proposed solution is to deregulate housing and encourage denser development. This ...

  Narayana Kocherlakota A wave of popular dissatisfaction, expressed in support for Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, has shocked both of America’s leading political parties. The protest vote, however, shouldn’t come as a surprise: For many important demographic groups, the last two presidencies have been an economic disaster. Let’s start with white Americans. If you’re wondering why Trump’s anti-establishment rhetoric ...

  Paul Ferraro Water, we are repeatedly told, will be “next oil.” In the U.S., climate projections predict increasing drought frequency throughout most of the country. Around the world, political and even military conflicts due to water scarcity are multiplying. Water is a limited and essential resource, and we are becoming more sensitive to the need to use it wisely. ...

  Dubai / Emirates Business As many as 2,400 new hotel rooms will open in Abu Dhabi throughout 2016, according to a new report. The Abu Dhabi Hotel Market Summary report by JLL prepared ahead of The Hotel Show Dubai 2016 reveals that 200 rooms opened in Q2 2016 with the soft opening of the Four Seasons on Al Maryah ...

  Dubai / Emirates Business Dubai’s appeal as a leading shopping destination has been further enhanced by the numerous bargains and special deals being offered by luxury retailers representing an array of international brands during the ongoing Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) extravaganza. The annual DSS, organised by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of ...

  Dubai / Emirates Business As businesses today are shifting the way they operate in the digital economy, differentiation is increasingly defined by their ability to enable their workforce to quickly, easily and securely access information and business tools from anywhere, using any device. du’s Enterprise Mobility Management Solutions help enterprises meet the needs of the modern workforce and become ...

  Emirates Business New figures show that so far in 2016, the Nissan LEAF is not only the world’s best-selling electric vehicle (EV), but also the third best-selling passenger car overall in Norway. Nissan made an early commitment to zero emission technology, recognising it as a sustainable, practical transport solution. Nissan has supported 100 percent electric mobility since 2010, long ...

  Ajman / Emirates Business Gulf Craft has signed a partnership agreement with the Abdulaziz Bin Humaid Foundation as part of the shipyard’s ongoing commitment to inspire the next generation of GCC business leaders through exposure to its world-class UAE-based operations. The UAE-based yacht and boat builder will support the Foundation’s coveted Abdulaziz Bin Humaid Leadership Program, which aims to ...