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ABU DHABI / Agencies
Savings account balances
in the UAE amounted to AED158.5 billion during the first third of 2017, a growth of 3 percent, i.e. AED4.75 billion, over the same period in 2016, according to UAE Central Bank statistics.
Saving by local currency
at the banking sector hit AED129.56 billion against an equivalent of AED28.88 billion in foreign currencies by the end of April.
The largest growth in savings accounts was recorded during February-March 2017, jumping from AED154.822 billion to AED158.5 billion, while in January it went up from AED153.578 billion to AED154.822 billion.
Saving by local currency was at the highest level during January-February, edging up to AED126.645 billion from AED124.736 billion, while saving by foreign currency recorded its best high in Februry-March, increasing to AED29.007 billion from AED 28.177 billion.
Savings accounts are an investment vehicle used by banks to woo more clients, with its interest rates varying from one bank to another.
UAE index gains
Dubai’s index rose 0.7 percent in thin trade as builder Arabtec, the most heavily tra-ded stock, jumped 4.0 percent.
Loss-making theme park operator DXB Entertainments climbed 2.3%, pulling further away from a two-year low hit on Sunday. Investors were still reacting positively to news that its chief executive Raed Kajoor al-Nuaimi had been appointed CEO of a new entity that will manage development projects for Dubai Holding and Meraas Holding. The company has not yet named a new CEO. Abu Dhabi index gained 0.2% to 4,502 points.