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Christie’s to auction one of the world’s largest pearls, Shuaa Capital on Tunisian asset freeze list, Government purchases Blue City debt, Rise in credit default swap trade

A number of British citizens have been prevented from leaving the country after banks, including HSBC, obtained travel bans against them because they owe money

The Central Bank of Yemen announced in mid-February that its first sukuk had been issued. The government is looking to benefit from the surplus liquidity of Islamic banks to finance investments and help boost the economy. The issuance is part of a

Dubai was hit hard by the global economic crisis, and has never fully disclosed the scale of the damage. With debt rescheduling and a relative stabilisation in 2010, all eyes will be on the $18bn that we at least know is due to be repaid in 2011. Privatisation of assets is likely.

United Arab Emirates investors are again trying to get projects off the ground in Algeria, with Federal National Council president Abdelaziz Abdullah Al-Ghurair meeting President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in Algiers earlier this month to push their case.

The House Financial Services Committee hearing A Review of Current and Evolving Trends in Terrorism Financing took place on 28 September. Among the four witnesses was Eric Lewis, a partner in Washington-based law firm Baach Robinson Lewis, who is representing Ahmed Hamad Al-Gosaibi and Brothers (AHAB). The hearing looked at the dispute between AHAB and Maan Al-Sanea, and the movement of $1trn of funds between Middle East financial institutions and US banks since 11 September 2001.

Merrill Lynch Saudi Arabia has appointed Motashar Almurshed as chief executive.

A number of new reports on Saudi banks point to a system that is stable and growing, reflecting the sector’s resilience and strong financial fundamentals in the face of challenging operating conditions, as Moody’s Investors Service put it. Some players who talked to GSN were less upbeat, pointing to slow-moving business and a continued hangover from the crisis that built up over the Saad and Al-Gosaibi groups’ failure – a crisis that quietly continues to affect business across the region.

New figures from the Ministry of National Economy indicate that Oman will end the year with a budget surplus. The Export-Import Bank of the United States has approved its first direct loan to Saudi Arabia. Italian export credit agency Sace has guaranteed a $500m loan to General Holding Corporation.

The Middle East project finance market has been boosted by recent deals in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and the opening of US export credit agency Export-Import Bank in Iraq

BAHRAIN: BMI Bank appoints new chief executive, OMAN: BankMuscat profits up, but below expectations

A cluster of new financing facilities has raised well over $10bn, boosting the GCC’s project finance market

A big Saudi deal will help breathe life into the Gulf Co-operation Council project finance market, when commercial debt and export credit agency money are finalised for the $2.3bn PP11 power project in Riyadh.

New Bahrain Citibank chief, United Gulf to sell stake in Tunis International, Dollar sukuk issue ‘in third quarter’, NBK Islamic fund fully subscribed in one day, Investment Dar restructuring nears approval, Qatari Diar ‘prepares $3.5bn bond issue’, Doha Bank eyes $1bn bond sale, New evidence in DIB fraud case

The little-known Al-Mal Bank, based in Doha, has had its licence revoked by the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) for breach of regulations.