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

Bloomberg Chinese banks’ leverage fell for the first time in seven years as the government’s campaign to curb risks in the $40 trillion financial system started to bite. The balances of both interbank assets and liabilities at the end of June declined by 1.8 trillion yuan ($270 billion) from the beginning of the year, the China Banking Regulatory Commission disclosed ...

Reuters Goldman Sachs received approval to trade equities in Saudi Arabia, joining the growing band of western investment banks and fund managers expanding in the kingdom. Western financial institutions have been looking to tap new opportunities in Saudi Arabia since the government unveiled plans for oil giant Saudi Aramco’s $100 billion initial public offering and introduced reforms to attract foreign ...

Bloomberg Oakbay Investments, the company controlled by the Gupta family that’s having its last bank accounts closed, agreed to sell its South African media interests to management and an ally of the friends of President Jacob Zuma. Oakbay will get $23 million for Infinity Media, which operates news channel ANN7, and 150 million rand for its two-thirds stake in the ...

Bloomberg Goldman Sachs Group Inc., seeking a rebound in its commodities business after a bout of losing trades dented earnings, has a plan built around hiring fresh stars and luring new clients. The bank will bring in a few high-profile commodities salesmen as well as some traders, an acknowledgment that the roughly 180-person unit’s performance has suffered in recent years ...

Dubai / Emirates Business A recent census of optician stores in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has revealed that the power of shopping malls to attract consumer buying behaviour is growing, with a 22% rise in the number of shopping mall-based opticians since 2014. These locations now account for one third of all optician business in the Emirates. GfK, the ...

ABU DHABI / WAM The UAE stock markets started the maiden session of the week on a high note following a selective buying spree targeting a series of blue chips which secured some gains over the past few days. Within this context, the DFM General Index went up 0.39 percent to 3615 points, which is an acceptable level according to ...

ABU DHABI / WAM The banking sector increased their statutory reserves at the UAE Central Bank by AED8.6 billion during H1, 2017, bringing to AED125.5 billion the total required reserves by the end of June 2017, according to CB statistics. Statutory reserves are the minimum liquidity banks are required to hold against client deposits without getting interests in return. The ...

Dubai / WAM Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) has completed its previously announced acquisition of the AWAS group of companies in a move that propels DAE into the top tier of global aircraft lessors. DAE will now conduct its aircraft leasing business using the DAE Capital brand name. DAE Capital now features an owned, managed and committed fleet of approximately 400 ...

DUBAI / WAM Tejar Dubai, an initiative of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said that a total of 28 commercial projects have been launched to date by its participants with a majority of Emirati-owned businesses operating within the UAE’s smart services, retail, logistics, and food and beverage sectors. A total of AED 15.4 million worth of financing ...

DUBAI / WAM Smart Dubai Government Establishment contact centre has received ISO 18295 certification, Parts I and II, as well as the CCA Global Certification for Contact Centre Management. This makes the centre the first in the world to receive the ISO certificates, awarded by the Switzerland-based International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the first in the region to receive ...