CAPITAL MARKETS-

#1- Lunate’s Chimera iBoxx US Treasury Bill is now listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), the exchange said in a disclosure (pdf). The addition from the Abu Dhabi-based alternative investment firm brings the total number of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the ADX to 16, covering 10 markets, ADX Group CEO Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi said. The listed ETFs’ assets-under-management have increased by 94% since the ETF platform was launched, he added.

REFRESHER- Earlier this month, Lunate said it would launch the ETF, which will track outstanding US T-bills with a range of maturity dates, reaching up to 12 months. It currently also has ETFs in several other global markets.

Investors can expect returns between 4.2-4.3%, Lunate’s head of Public Markets Sherif Salem told CNBC Arabia (watch, runtime: 4:18).

#2- Stocks listed on the ADX can now be bought and sold on global trading platform eToro, following an agreement between ADX and eToro aimed at broadening investor access to Emirati capital markets, according to a press release. More than 30 ADX-listed companies spanning energy, real estate, banking, finance, technology and healthcare are now available to eToro users. These stocks represent 88% of ADX’s total market capitalization, which exceeds USD 800 bn.

FINANCE-

#1-Haifin to boost financial resilience in Bahrain: e& Enterprise’s anti-fraud service Haifin has signed an MoU with Bahrain-based fintech company Benefit to strengthen fraud prevention and risk management in trade finance, according to a press release.

In context: Since its launch, Haifin has prevented over USD 150 mn in fraud losses for a consortium of nearly 20 banks, having evaluated USD 100 bn in transactions in the UAE.

#2- India-headquartered real estate investment firm Nisus Finance (NiFCO) launched a GCC-focused real estate fund, it said in a press release. The Nisus High Yield Growth Fund Closed Ended IC is a private fund available to investors via private placement and has already invested AED 200 mn in the Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) and Al Furjan projects, chief investment officer Amit Kumar Jhunjhunwala (LinkedIn) said.

The fund aims to raise another USD 500 mn in debt and expand its size to USD 1 bn, while targeting a gross internal rate of return (IRR) of 18-20%, the statement said. It hopes to secure USD 250 mn in capital commitments by 2Q 2025, helping to establish its place as a key institutional investor in the GCC’s real estate market, NiFCO said.

LOGISTICS-

DP World boosts its UK handling capacity: DP World is investing GBP 60 mn in four new quay cranes at its UK Southampton container terminal, scheduled to arrive from mid-2026, according to a statement. The cranes are made to service the largest ships currently in operation – holding as much as a 24k TEU – and have an operational lifespan of around 25 years.

INVESTMENT-

Adio partners with Chinese companies on investment: The Abu Dhabi InvestmentOffice (Adio) signed strategic partnerships with three Chinese companies at the Abu Dhabi Investment Forum in Shanghai, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said here, here and here. Abu Dhabi is looking to triple foreign direct investment (FDI) to AED 2.2 tn by 2031 and “strengthen economic ties with the Chinese financial ecosystem,” the office said.

Wind Information, a financial data and software company, will provide market insight and analysis to investors and family offices in China looking towards the UAE and connect them with Adio. The two will co-host investment forums and Adio will facilitate access by Chinese investors to its market.

And there’s more: Consulting and capital activities firm Hejun, which has over USD 2 bn in assets-under-management, will expose its 2k strong network of companies to the Abu Dhabi investment ecosystem in return for Adio helping businesses set up and grow in the emirate. Fosun International, a multinational conglomerate holding company that recorded USD 13.4 bn in revenue during 1H 2024, will also receive investor support and help with expansion of its subsidiaries in Abu Dhabi from Adio.

TECH-

Proofpoint launches local data center in Dubai: US-based Cybersecurity and compliance company Proofpoint will offer its human-centric security solutions through a new local data center in Dubai, it said in a press release. Set to be operational in 1Q 2025, the data center will help UAE-based organizations meet local data residency and regulatory compliance requirements.

Tags: