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

ABU DHABI / WAM The gross output of the water, wastewater and electricity sector grew 2.7 percent in 2018 to AED55.8 billion as compared to AED54.3 billion in the preceding year, according to the figures of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority. The growth is driven by the continuing population growth, with the government continuing to fine efficient alternatives through …

OSLO / WAM Oslo-listed RAK Petroleum has announced a consolidated net comprehensive income of $65.7 million for the half-year to June 30, compared to a net comprehensive income of $166.4 million for the full year 2018. RAK Petroleum’s main assets are holdings in DNO, also listed in Oslo, and privately-held Foxtrot International. RAK Petroleum owns 40.45 percent of DNO, a …

Bloomberg Saudi Aramco has told several major Asian buyers that it will supply customers with all contracted oil volumes in spite of the production cuts over the weekend, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The attack on the kingdom’s most important oil production facility halved Saudi output and is crimping the availability of lighter grades such as Arab …

Bloomberg Russia may hesitate to strike a multiyear deal with the European Union and Ukraine on natural gas supplies after an EU court ruling on a key German pipeline. The judgment reduces the options Gazprom PJSC has to ship billions of dollars of gas to its biggest market without using Ukraine’s pipeline network. But Russia may see the logic in …

Bloomberg US stocks slipped, oil surged and assets considered to be havens in times of trouble climbed after a strike on Saudi Arabia’s crude production heightened geopolitical risk. A drop in automaker shares helped drag the S&P 500 Index down the most in almost two weeks, even as energy producers climbed. Treasuries advanced with precious metals and the yen. Brent …

Bloomberg India’s rupee halted a seven-day rally and bonds declined after a drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities sent global crude prices soaring by the most on record. The currency fell 0.9 percent to close at 71.5963 per dollar and the benchmark 2029 bond yields rose eight basis points to 6.72 percent. The S&P BSE Sensex gauge of equities …

Bloomberg Andre Esteves once joked that Banco BTG Pactual SA, the Latin American investment bank powerhouse he helped create, would one day become “better than Goldman” — a play on the firm’s name. Now, BTG is chasing Goldman Sachs Group Inc down another path, looking to build a digital retail bank for the masses. The firm, under the BTG Digital …

Bloomberg Banks in Denmark have seen their aggregate profits sink this year, according to calculations by the industry’s main lobby group, which has repeatedly urged monetary policy makers to provide relief from long-term negative interest rates. Industry profits fell 20 percent in the first half of this year, Finans Danmark said. Denmark’s 17 biggest banks and mortgage lenders reported after-tax …

Bloomberg The European Central Bank’s (ECB) latest round of easing sent a signal to institutional investors that their inflation hedges may be growing more pointless by the day. In the northernmost corner of the euro zone, a $51 billion pension fund says ECB President Mario Draghi isn’t giving his industry much hope that things will improve. “So far, the less …

Bloomberg PJT Partners Inc has hired Bank of America Corp (BofA) dealmaker Antonin Baladi to build up its European technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) investment banking business, people familiar with the matter said. The London-based banker is joining PJT in a senior role, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. Baladi, who was Bank …