Al Ansari Financial Services PJSC (AAFS) has significantly expanded its market dominance by acquiring BFC Group Holdings WLL (BFCGH) in a $200 million deal. This acquisition marks a pivotal moment for AAFS, positioning it as the GCC region’s largest remittance and foreign exchange provider by branch network. Protiviti, a Member Firm for the Middle East
Goldman Sachs has introduced a new Financial Stress Index (FSI) that, despite recent market volatility, indicates financial stress remains within normal historical levels. They announced recently that the index offers a nuanced view of current market conditions amid recent upheavals. Over the past few days, markets have experienced heightened volatility, driven by a confluence of
Fears of a strengthening yen and potential US recession sent Japanese stock markets into meltdown, seeing the biggest point decline in a single day in history. From Monday’s finish of 31,458, the Nikkei 225 Index rose significantly, rising more than 8% to cross 34,000 in the first few minutes of trade. Its most significant one-day
ING Group lifted its 2024 outlook for total income to more than 22 billion euros after posting second-quarter net interest income above estimates recently. ING CEO Steven van Rijswijk recently expressed optimism about the bank’s performance: “We are happy to increase our 2024 income estimates to €22 million, which is evidence of our business model’s
The number of e-wallet users in the Kingdom of Jordan has risen by 6%, according to recent statistics released by the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ). Digital wallet usage among Jordanians reached 2.17 million users, CBJ stated, adding that there are eight payment and electronic transfer companies operating in the country which are authorised by
HDI Global SE continues its international expansion receiving a regulatory license from Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to open an office in Dubai. The new local presence in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) will allow HDI Global to bring its global financial strength and technical expertise closer to clients in the Middle East. The new
Arab Bank Group reported solid results for the first half of 2024, with a 25% increase in net income after tax reaching $503 million as compared to $401 million for the same period last year. The group maintained its strong capital base with a total equity of $11.5 billion. Assets grew by 5% reaching $68.7
The United Arab Emirates hopes to reactivate trade talks with the European Union by the end of the year, the UAE trade minister has said, and is optimistic the talks would be bilateral. Negotiations between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council, a six-country Arab bloc that includes the UAE and Saudi Arabia, remain stalled.
India will spend $24 billion in job-spurring efforts over the next five years and boost rural spending, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in the 2024/25 budget, unveiled after last month’s election setback for the government. Analysts blamed distress in rural areas and a weak job market for a poor poll showing that cost Prime Minister
Rising expectations that former President Donald Trump will regain the White House in November are supercharging the so-called Trump trade, on views that his policies will lift corporate profits even while spurring worries about the country’s long-term fiscal health. The two sides of the trade have been evident in recent weeks, as investors price in
