January, 2018

• 16 January

  PBOC boosts injections to counter liquidity tightening

  

  Bloomberg China’s central bank boosted injections via open-market operations to the most in two months to counter seasonal tightening of liquidity. The People’s Bank of China pumped in a net 270 billion yuan ($42 billion) on Tuesday, as sales of reverse-repurchase agreements more than offset maturities. That’s the most since Nov. 16, data compiled by Bloomberg show. As much as …

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• 16 January

  No rush for dollars in Morocco as looser peg boosts currency

  

  Bloomberg It finally happened: Morocco eased its grip on the dirham. But there was no stampede for dollars and the currency strengthened. Bank al-Maghrib set the reference rate at 9.2184 per dollar even after the central bank widened the dirham fluctuation band to 2.5 percent above or below its peg. And the regulator allocated less than a fifth of the …

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• 15 January

  ENOC holds talks with banks for retail unit IPO

  

  Bloomberg Emirates National Oil Co, the state-owned oil refiner in Dubai, has held discussions with banking advisers for a potential initial public offering of its fuel-retailing unit, on the heels of a similar move in Abu Dhabi, according to people familiar with the matter. The retail arm of ENOC, as the company is known, could be valued at more than …

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• 15 January

  Abu Dhabi aims for second solar plant

  

  ABU DHABI / Reuters Abu Dhabi is pushing ahead with a second solar power plant and will invite bidders by the middle of the year, a top official of the emirate’s utility said on Monday. Last year the Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (Adwea) closed a $872 million financing package for its first solar power plant with capacity of …

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• 15 January

  DLD launches real estate promotion plan for 2018

  Dubai / WAM The Dubai Land Department (DLD) has launched its 2018 real estate promotion plan for the Real Estate Investment Management and Promotion Centre, the department’s investment arm. DLD held a press conference in the presence of Sultan Butti bin Mejren, Director-General of DLD, Majida Ali Rashid, Assistant Director-General and Head of the Real Estate Investment Management and Promotion …

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• 15 January

  Dollar slide deepens as euro strength saps stocks

  

  Bloomberg Despite a US holiday, the dollar dominated trading on Monday as it headed for a fourth day of declines, weakening against every major currency. The euro’s jump weighed on European stocks, while gold gained. Bloomberg’s dollar index approached its lowest level in three years as the euro extended gains that have pushed it to the strongest since 2014. The …

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• 15 January

  Hong Kong stocks end record winning run

  

  Bloomberg A record winning run in Hong Kong stocks came to an end on Monday as investors took profit in some of the best performers. The city’s benchmark Hang Seng Index slipped 0.2 percent at the close, snapping a 14-session rising streak. The gauge earlier rose above its record closing high made in 2007 before giving up gains. Country Garden …

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• 15 January

  Oil trades near 3-year high as OPEC reassures on cuts

  

  Bloomberg Oil traded near the highest close in more than three years as Iraq echoed a call by the United Arab Emirates and other producers that the OPEC-led output cuts should continue, despite recent price gains. Futures were little changed in New York after rising 4.7 percent last week. The curbs have contributed to stability in the market and should …

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• 15 January

  Saudi Electricity signs deal with Japanese firms for first EV pilot

  KHOBAR / Reuters State-controlled Saudi Electricity Co (SEC) has signed a deal with Japanese Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), Nissan Motor Co and Takaoka Toko for the first electric vehicle (EV) pilot project in the world’s largest oil exporter, it said. Saudi Arabia is keen to develop its auto industry as part of efforts to diversify the economy beyond oil …

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• 15 January

  Saudi aims to soon prequalify firms for N-plant

  

  ABU DHABI / Reuters Saudi Arabia plans to prequalify for bidding firms from two or three countries by April or May for the first nuclear reactors it wants to build, a consultant for the government body work-ing on the nuclear plans said on Monday. Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, wants nuclear power to diversify its energy supply mix, …

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