BANKING AND FINANCE

HSBC, RBS to Discuss Potential Merger to Create 3rd Largest Lender in Saudi Arabia

The IMF says the steep fall in oil prices is likely to dampen growth in Saudi Arabia.
For sale stakes in two Saudi banks pose risks and opportunities for buyers as Saudi Arabia pushes forward with massive economic and social reform plans.

Saudi Arabia

News, analysis, and more

Solar Program

Saudi Arabia Sees 7,000 Jobs Coming From Solar Program by 2020

Saudi Arabia is hoping its solar-power program will generate 7,000 jobs and build a local manufacturing industry that can export products to the world, reducing...

 

Tadawul

Saudi Stock Exchange Officially Transitions to T+2 Settlement Cycle

Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) announced today the successful completion of its transition to a T+2 settlement cycle for all listed securities, which went into effect...

 

Citigroup

Citigroup sets up in Saudi Arabia with a woman at the helm

After an absence of more than 12 years, Citigroup (C) has been awarded a license by the Saudi authorities to provide a full range of...

 

“A Small Death”

Saudi Mohammed Alwan wins 2017 Int’l Prize for Arabic Fiction

“A Small Death” by the Saudi author Mohammed Hasan Alwan was named the winner Tuesday of the 10th International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF)....

 

Women in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s election to UN women’s commission draws ire

The principal UN commission charged with promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women has picked 13 new members by secret vote. One selection is...

 

Saudi Aramco IPO

Lack Of Transparency Could Hurt Aramco’s $2 Trillion Valuation

The primary discussion taking place is the overall level of transparency offered by Aramco's leadership, which is supported by the Saudi government. After several days...

 

Saudi-Egypt

Commentary: Fateful decisions from Saudi-Egyptian summitry

It is healthier for all that Egypt and Saudi Arabia work together for the common good, rather than compete with or fight one another to...

 

Yemen Civil War

Commentary: Will Saudi Arabia’s New Ambassador Draw U.S. Deeper Into War in Yemen?

Saudi Arabia and its new ambassador to Washington want to convince the Trump administration to get more involved in the war in Yemen....

 

Saudi Reforms

Saudi ultra-conservatives take anti-reform stand on women’s sports

Saudi Arabia’s Shura or Advisory Council, in a sign that the kingdom is polarized over Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s plans to diversify and...

 

Banking and Finance

HSBC, RBS Saudi Ventures in Talks to Form $78 Billion Lender

HSBC Holdings Plc and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc’s Saudi Arabia ventures are exploring a potential merger to create the kingdom’s third-largest lender with...

 

Bank Merger?

Alawwal Bank to merge with Saudi British Bank?

Saudi British Bank (SABB) also announced that its Board of Directors has resolved, at its meeting held on 25 April 2017, to enter into preliminary...

 

Cloud Adoption

The Growing Concerns Around Cloud Adoption in Saudi Arabia and the UAE

In fact, the main deterrent to cloud adoption in the region is skilled staff that understands cloud architecture.  51% affirmed that they have slowed adoption...

 

ACWA Power

ACWA Power Will Bid to Build Saudi Arabian Solar Energy Project

ACWA Power International will bid to build a solar energy project in Saudi Arabia, part of the kingdom’s $50 billion push to temper domestic oil...

 

Saudi +

Regional and related topics

Cyber Security

Top Threat Facing U.S. Is Cyber, Says Outgoing CIA Lawyer

During her tenure as the CIA’s top lawyer, Caroline Krass dealt with investigations into the CIA’s enhanced interrogation programs and black sites, unrest in Ukraine...

 

Syria Chemical Attack

French intelligence says Assad forces carried out sarin attack

French intelligence has concluded that forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad carried out a sarin nerve gas attack on April 4 in northern Syria...

 

Turkey

Turkey expands strikes against Kurdish militants in Syria and Iraq 

Turkey stepped up its bombing campaign Tuesday against Kurdish militants outside its borders, killing as many as 20 U.S.-backed fighters in Syria and expanding its...

 

Persian Gulf

US Navy fires warning flare at Iran vessel in Persian Gulf

The incident happened Monday as the vessel attempted to draw closer to the USS Mahan despite the destroyer trying to turn away from it, said...

 

Yemen

Pledging Conference Raises More Than $1 Billion for Yemen

The United Nations has raised more than half of the $2.1 billion it needs to provide life-saving assistance for millions of people on the brink...

 

ME and Trump

Commentary: Should the Middle East embrace Trump?

A series of early decisions that many in the Middle East find welcome should not blind the region to the fact that Trump is still...

 

GCC Economies

Recent Global Developments Could Benefit GCC Economies

“While nations across the Gulf and wider Middle East would have to strike an uneasy political balance to remain an ally on both sides of...

 

GCC Healthcare

Economics 101: GCC has choice on what health system to emulate

In 2014, the Commonwealth Fund, a health think tank, compared the healthcare systems of 11 wealthy countries. Its findings offer insights for the Arabian Gulf...

 

Turkey

For Turkey’s Erdoğan, new powers present fresh challenges

The aftermath of Erdoğan's narrow referendum victory – marked by protests, arrests, and divisive rhetoric – is revealing the magnitude of his coming challenges, not...

 

Trump Travel Ban

Regional Consequences of Trump’s Travel Ban

Except for Qatar, the majority of Gulf countries endorsed the executive order....

 

DIA

Defense Intelligence Agency’s ‘Shark Tank’ Helps Startups Pitch Spy Apps

All of this is part of a new approach to acquisition and software development called iHUB. DIA stood it up in September but has only...

 

Ancient City Discovered

A sandstorm in Iran has revealed the remains of a Lost Ancient City

A recent storm in Iran has unearthed a series of structures believed to be part of an ancient city or necropolis. Early analyses suggest that...

 

Kidnapped Qataris

Abadi: Iraqi government is ‘holding’ Qatari ransom money

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said his government is holding the hundreds of millions of dollars involved in a ransom deal between Qatar and...

 

U.S. Foreign Aid

A guide for Secretary Tillerson: Let State focus on diplomacy, USAID be accountable for assistance

that, along with draconian cuts to foreign assistance, the administration is contemplating merging the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) into the Department of State....

 

Hezbollah

Hezbollah’s defiant signal to Israel, Lebanon, and the UN

On a press tour of Lebanon's sensitive southern border, the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah performs a seemingly choreographed breach of the UN resolution that helped end...

 

CNBC in Abu Dhabi

CNBC to host Middle East market reports from Abu Dhabi

The business and financial news network said that the section will report into CNBC shows such as Squawk Box directly from the International Financial Centre...

 

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