Nakheel and Meydan merger to boost Dubai Holding’s portfolio

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: MGX could invest in OpenAI’s chip and power production venture + Eagle Hills’ investment in Budapest could reach EUR 10 bn

Good morning, wonderful people, and happy Monday. It’s a slow start to the week as we close out the first Ramadan weekend, but we have an engaging issue for you to kick off the workweek.

So, when do we eat? Maghrib is at 6:32pm in Dubai, and 6:36pm in Abu Dhabi. Fajr prayers are at 5:07am in Dubai and 5:11am in Abu Dhabi.

THE BIG STORY here at home is the merger of Nakheel and Meydan under Dubai Holding as part of a plan to boost the company’s asset portfolio to “hundreds of bns” worth of assets.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS-

#1- ? Expect another humid and foggy day in the UAE today,according to the National Center of Meteorology. Light rainfall is also in the cards for those residing in Western areas and islands.

#2- Give FinMin your two cents on tax policies: The Finance Ministry launched a digital national dialogue on implementing the Global Minimum Tax (GMT) and other tax matters, Wam reports. This consultation, which kicked off last Friday and will continue until 10 April, specifically seeks input on policy design options for implementing GMT and potential substance-based incentives under the UAE Corporate Tax regime. Stakeholders such as multinational groups, advisors, and investors can share their thoughts through either the ministry’s website or the UAE Government Portal.

#3- If you’re a citizen of Fiji, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Armenia, or Kosovo, you’re now eligible to enter the UAE without a pre-entry visa, after the Foreign Affairs Ministry updated its list of visa exemptions. The new additions bring the total number of countries whose citizens can obtain a visa on arrival for up to 30, 90, or 180 days, depending on their country of origin, to 87. You can find the full list of visa requirements by nationality on Mofa’s website.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Newly formed Abu Dhabi-based AI investment company MGX is in preliminary talks to invest in OpenAI’s new AI chip and power production venture, the Financial Times reports, citing two people with knowledge of the matter. OpenAI boss Sam Altman has estimated that the project would require some USD 7 tn.

Altman isn’t alone in eyeing AI in the UAE: Tesla CEO Elon Musk could also be bringing an AI project to the UAE, AI Minister Omar Sultan Al Olama suggested to the FT.

#2- Brazil’s Petrobras is pushing ahead with potential partnerships with Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, with due diligence in progress for the company to re-acquire the Mataripe refinery in Brazil, AlKhaleej reports. Petrobras is also mulling an unspecified agreement with Mubadala on a new biofuel refinery. The two sides have yet to sign any binding agreements.

Background: Petrobras had said it hopes to settle the details of the potential acquisition by the end of 1H 2023, Reuters reported earlier. The refinery was sold to Mubadala in 2021 for USD 1.65 bn, as part of Brazil’s former administration’s divestment strategy.

#3- Abu Dhabi officials are reportedly finalizing a perks program for finance professionals moving to the Abu Dhabi Global Market in a bid to lure more hedge funds to the city, says Bloomberg, citing leader of market development at the ADGM, Arvind Ramamurthy. The program will include visas and lifestyle support, including coveted school admissions for children and memberships at country clubs, in a bid to “[benchmark] against the likes of Hong Kong and Singapore,” and London and New York.

#4- Eagle Hills’ investment in a Budapest neighborhood could reach EUR 10 bn, following an initial investment of EUR 5.8 bn, Trade Minister Thani Al Zeyoudi told The National last week. The figure could grow if “things go as per the full plan,” Al Zeyoudi said, adding that the project will involve residential and commercial towers, with the Hungarian government planning to connect it to the railway network and the airport. The project is expected to take a couple of years to complete, he added.

#5-Self-driving buses in Dubai? Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is planning to roll out 40 electric buses by the start of next year, as part of the emirate’s plan to boost zero-emission transports, Ahmed Bahrozyan, executive director of the RTA’s Public Transport Agency, told Emarat Alyoum. The authority has been testing out the latest autonomous electric bus models in a bid to push the number of self-driving trips in the emirate to 25% by 2030.

ICYMI: RTA expects its self-driving transport strategy — launched in 2016 — to save Dubai some AED 22 bn by 2030, RTA Director-General Mattar Al Tayer previously said.

WAR WATCH-

Second UAE-funded aid shipment to leave Cyprus: A second aid cargo arranged by the UAE with US-based charity World Central Kitchen and Spanish charity Open Arms is set to set sail from Cyprus’ Larnaca port to Gaza through the new aid maritime corridor, Reuters reports, citing Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.The recently launched UAE-funded maritime corridor saw the arrival of the first ship carrying 200 tonnes of food and supplies to Gaza from Cyprus over the weekend, according to a Foreign Affairs Ministry statement.

ALSO-The UAE and Egyptian Air Forces executed their ninth and tenth airdrops of humanitarian aid in Gaza over the weekend, and a group of 40 wounded Palestinian children and cancer patients arrived in Abu Dhabi last Saturday for treatment, Wam reports.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

It’s another sleepy Monday in the global business press, with geopolitics (Putin just won reelection, getting six more years in power) and tech (the White House is pushing the Senate to take up without delay a bill that would ban TikTok) taking center stage.

Sign of the TImes- So. Much. AI. Anxiety. This time, physical robots take center stage:

AI-powered robotics will fuel jobs disruptions in ways we don’t realize, writes Semafor’s Alastair Clements and Reed Albergotti.
The New York Times worries about how “the AI that drives ChatGPT” will impact the physical world with the rise of robots.
Elon has released the source code for Grok, his AI chatbot.

Happening today: Super Micro Computer becomes an S&P 500 constituent. The server maker will instantly become the index’s top one-year performer when it does. The Wall Street Journal has the rundown on why. (Hint: Lots to do with the AI revolution.)

What’s a little xenophobia among friends? Republicans in the US Congress are probing whether Qatari funding for US universities has contributed to what they claim is a rise of antisemitism on college campuses. The catch: Most of the money they’re talking about was spent to build outposts for US universities in Doha. The Financial Times has the story.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

#1- It’s a big week for the global hydrocarbon industry as S&P Global’s CERAWeek kicks off in Houston, Texas, running through Friday. Adnoc CEO, Industry and Advanced Technology Minister, and UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber will be on stage along with the chiefs of ExxonMobil and BP. They’ll be joined by a who’s who of senior US and international policymakers, global energy and services executives, leaders of national oil companies.

This year’s big themes: The outlook for energy markets, policy and geopolitics, net-zero supply chains, the green transition in power markets, paying for the transition to greener energy, and climate and sustainability. Check out the full agenda here and the live stream here.

#2- The Souq Al Freej Ramadan market is open in Sharjah National Park until 4 April, as part of the latest Sharjah Ramadan Festival, reports Wam. The heritage-centered market spotlights local fashion and accessories and Emirati-inspired products from international brands daily from 7:30pm to 1am.

ALSO THIS WEEK- The US Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Markets Committee meets on Tuesday and Wednesday. Market watchers will be parsing every word when the Fed updated economic projections public after the meeting.

At issue: How soon will the Fed cut rates — and how many times this year. Pundits now see the Fed leaving rates higher for longer than markets anticipate, according to economists surveyed in the latest Financial Times-Chicago Booth poll. Most respondents think we’ll see a maximum of two cuts this year. When? July or September, they say.

The fear: Acting too soon will not entirely snuff out inflation as the “last mile” battle looks tougher than originally thought after a surprise uptick in inflation last month.

It’s a huge week for central bank watchers: In addition to the Fed, we’ll see rate decisions or speeches from the Bank of Japan and the Bank of England. There will also be a barrel of economic indicators to parse, including consumer price or economic sentiment data from Canada, Germany, China, the EU and the United Kingdom.

EM watchers will be keeping an eye on: Turkey (Thursday interest rate announcement), Russia (Friday rate announcement), Brazil (Wednesday announcement), and Indonesia (also Wednesday).

DATA POINTS-

#1- Dubai saw a 21% y-o-y increase in international tourist arrivals in January, with 1.77 mn visitors to the city, according to the Dubai Tourism Performance Report. The majority of tourists were from Western Europe, followed by GCC nationals.

#2- The UAE’s cyber security market is expected to be valued at AED 3.4 bn by 2028, Al Bayan reports. Currently, the market’s value is estimated to be between AED 1.5-1.9 bn, according to a recent report from InterRegional for Strategic Analysis in Abu Dhabi.

#3- Jebel Ali Freezone (Jafza) attracted 800 new companies in 2023, bringing the total to over 10.1k companies by the end of the year, Al Banyan reports. Jafza’s occupancy rates also increased during the year, with warehouse occupancy rising four percentage points to 93% in 2023. Land occupancy reached 91%, up 12 percentage points y-o-y, while worker accommodations rose two percentage points y-o-y to 81% by the end of 2023.

Top trade partners: Indian markets accounted for 13% of Jafza’s exports, followed by Pakistan at 6%, and China at 5%. Imports were led by China at 25%, followed by India at 13%, and the United States at 8%.

Sectors: Jafza’s top imports were vehicles and parts, making up 15% of total imports, followed by electrical industries at 6%. Key exports were iron products at 11%, vehicles and their parts at 9%, and petroleum products at 6%.

#4- HR Ministry finds 1.2k firms faking Emiratisation targets: The HumanResources Minister's inspection team discovered 1.2k private firms employing nearly 2k UAE citizens unlawfully in an attempt to bypass Emiratisation targets and “engaging in fake Emiratisation” from mid-2022 to 14 March 2024, according to a ministry statement.

Violation penalties: Businesses breaching Emiratisation regulations face fines between AED 20k to AED 100k per violation. Citizens found violating rules will have their Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council program (Nafis) benefits terminated, and previous benefits recovered.

MARKET WATCH-

Bloomberg has included Adnoc’s Murban Crude Oil as a subindex to its flagship Bloomberg Commodity Index (BCOM), where it will be represented alongside benchmark Brent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI), according to a press release. The move offers investors that trade in Brent and WTI diversification benefits, while also enhancing their abilities to mark geopolitical risks and differences in regional growth dynamics, the statement said.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Abu Dhabi’s industrialists career expo set for April: The Industry and Advanced Technology Ministry and Adnoc are teaming up to host the second edition of the Industrialists' Career Exhibition set to take place between April 22 and 23 at the Abu Dhabi Energy Centre, Wam reports.

Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.

Nakheel, Meydan to merge under Dubai Holding

Dubai Holding expands portfolio with Nakheel + Meydan merger: Dubai’s government-backed real estate firms Nakheel and Meydan are set to merge into one entity held by Dubai’s investment vehicle, Dubai Holding, according to a statement from Dubai’s Media Office. The consolidation of the real estate giants will see both of their boards of directors dissolved, while Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum — who is also Emirates Group CEO and chairman — will head the new entity. No details were provided on the value of the transaction.

Background: Dubai’s government took over Nakheel — the developer of the emirate’s palm tree-shaped islands — in 2011 from its parent company, Dubai World, as part of a debt restructuring process following the 2009 real estate crash. Meydan launched in 2010 with its famous racecourse, which hosts the horse race Dubai World Cup, and has since expanded to include residential areas, a freezone, a mall, and a hotel.

Dubai Holding — which manages assets ranging from entertainment to hospitality and real estate — already owns a wide range of real estate assets in Dubai, including all of Dubai Properties’, Tecom’s and Meraas’ communities. That includes Business Bay, Jumeirah Beach Residence, City Walk, and Mudon, to name a few.

The merger will help boost Dubai Holding’s portfolio: The move aims to create a “global economic entity” operating across diverse sectors, including technology, media, hospitality, real estate, and retail, Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said on X. The primary objective of the new entity is to improve the companies’ financial efficiency, with the merger paving the way for Dubai Holding to hold “assets worth hundreds of bns.”

Dubai ramps up public-private partnerships for development, approves regulatory framework for Dubai Sandbox

The recently established Dubai Executive Council signed off on a budget for public-private partnerships (PPP) in Dubai, as well as a new housing policy, when it convened for the first time yesterday, reports the Dubai Media Office. Among the decisions approved:

#1- The council approved a AED 40 bn budget for the Dubai Portfolio for Public-Private Partnership for 2024-2026. The portfolio — launched in 2021 — aims to boost private sector investment in the emirate’s development projects. It originally comprised 30 infrastructure, public transport, and urban development projects, valued at over AED 25 bn.

#2-The Council also greenlit the “Dubai Sandbox” project, which focuses on establishing a standardized governance and regulatory framework that will allow startups to rapidly try out new ideas. The initiative is expected to support 100 tech ventures in its initial phase, including in sectors like proptech, artificial intelligence, healthtech, and greentech.

Also getting council sign-off yesterday:

An affordable housing policy offering a range of housing options to cater to individuals across different income levels, and facilitating the development of new accommodations for workers closer to their workplaces
A new logo to be adopted across Dubai’s Government entities — which will still retain their individual logos for distinctiveness — within a six-month transition period.

Sharjah Rent Law gets consultative council green light

The Sharjah Consultative Council approved yesterday the draft bill to regulate real estate rentals in the emirate, Wam reports. The council signed off on the law “after introducing a number of amendments,” Wam said, without providing further details on the amendments that were introduced to the bill. The bill replaces the previous Rent Law that was passed in 2007.

ICYMI- The law — which aims to streamline government procedures for rentals and establish a rentals dispute center — first earned preliminary approval from the Sharjah Executive Council in February.

What’s next? The law should now make its way to the emirate’s ruler Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed al-Qasimi to be ratified.

Coffee with: Steve Lutes, vice president of Middle East affairs at the US Chamber of Commerce

The UAE has worked overtime in recent years to diversify its foreign policy and trade relationships, but the United States remains the country’s preferred partner, says Steve Lutes. The US Chamber of Commerce’s vice president for Middle East affairs, Lutes says there’s a “real business case” for American companies to do business in the UAE.

The US Chamber of Commerce is the largest business lobby in the United States and traces its history back well over a century. Here in the UAE, it aims to keep dialogue open with policymakers on key business and trade issues, to spark interest among US businesses, and provide companies in both countries with a platform to network and collaborate.

The US and the UAE have long had a strong trade and investment relationship, with trade between the countries reaching USD 31.4 bn in 2023. The resulting USD 18.3 bn trade surplus for the US is its fourth largest surplus globally, according to data from the UAE embassy in Washington. The UAE is the US’ largest export market in the Middle East — more than 1.5k American businesses have set up shop in the Emirates.

We sat down in Dubai for coffee with Lutes when he was recently in town on business. Edited excerpts of our conversation follow.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

US climate companies “cannot not be” in the Emirates;
The chamber is talking with the Emirates Drug Establishment about everything from intellectual property protection to what the “healthcare system of the future” looks like in biopharma, healthtech, and diagnostics;
The space industry is potentially interesting, especially if companies here see opportunity split between the Emirates and Saudi Arabia;

Data sovereignty is an issue for US companies doing business here — how to respect local data control and privacy rules while still giving companies the flexibility they need to do business;
The UAE will remain attractive to US companies so long as “the rules of the road [are clear] and the playing fields [remain] level.”

ENTERPRISE: How much interest is the UAE getting from US businesses?

Steve Lutes: The UAE hosting COP28 supercharged US businesses’ interest in the UAE, especially in the energy transition and energy security sectors. There was already interest, but when you get out into the United States beyond the East Coast and the West Coast, if you were a small business and you had an innovative technology in climate change, you might not have thought the UAE is a natural place to go because you googled it and you saw Adnoc. But then when you dive a little deeper and then realize what their plans were for COP28 and, ultimately, what they accomplished; [you’ll find] that they're very serious about both of these spaces.

I think interest is only on a sharp curve up, because It's almost like it's an innovation capital hub. It is super energized when it comes to the knowledge-based economy, and they put a lot of emphasis on innovation and early adoption. So whether you're a young startup looking to scale or you're a large multinational, it's almost like you cannot not be here.

The chamber brought its largest delegation to a COP ever, and a lot of it had to do withUAE officials going out of their way to try to say “we fully appreciate that business needs to be at the table.” Governments can set targets in infinity, but you need partners, investors, innovators, and you need the private sector. [Those are the people who] ultimately can cooperate with governments to deliver.

For those at the chamber covering energy and environmental policy, I think they felt that this was one of the most consequential COPs that there's been in a while. The priority now for the chamber in the region is “how do we keep that momentum going?” We want to make sure that US companies are continuing to come here and take advantage of the opportunities. The follow-on and what comes after is just as important as what’s announced and what you do during those two weeks. Policies, standards, regulations have to be developed, and we always want to be a part of that conversation.

ENTERPRISE: You’ve mentioned renewable energy, what other sectors in the UAE is the chamber looking at?

SL: We held a meeting with Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the chairman of the new Emirates Drug Establishment, which is analogous to the US’ Food and Drug Administration. We pulled together a group of companies with him and the director general, Dr. Fatima Al Kaabi, to understand what they're looking to do. The establishment impacts, of course, the innovative biopharmaceutical companies, healthtech, diagnostics, so we want to understand how they want to build a healthcare system for the future.

We're looking to be a part of the conversation on how they go forward and have an eye toward the policy and regulatory regime and making sure that whether it's intellectual property or data governance, that they're thinking through how that's going to affect business and do things that are patient-oriented, but that also don't harm innovation and don't harm investment, so threading that needle and getting those things right.

Our intention is also to bring a delegation focused on space. Maybe there's a smaller number of companies, but those that are in it have come to appreciate that the UAE again is matching their plans with action. We’ve seen what they've done with some of the projects already, and I think the future is really impressive. There's already a great relationship with government-to-government and NASA, and there's already US companies that are working in this area here. So what we want to do is bring more US companies.

We hope to bring that delegation also to Saudi, because both countries have a space agency. if you're a US company coming all this way, it might make sense to come here and capture Saudi.

We’re also talking to governments about data privacy and data governance, because it's fundamental in a global economy where governments naturally want to put a lot of barriers or walls. They want to localize and control the data. But if you're a global company or a startup and you have an office here in the UAE, and you're based back in Santa Clara or somewhere, it doesn't really matter. You need to move the information back and forth, and you need to do that efficiently. We’re having those conversations with governments and noting that there’s different classifications and levels of data, and helping them figure that out so that cross border data flows are enabled.

Here in the UAE, I think they've done a really good job talking to the chamber and to business and getting that right, because then that underpins AI. The chamber is bringing companies to the table to talk to the Emirati government and other governments in the region to help figure out what that looks like.

ENTERPRISE: Has the corporate tax — and the erosion of the UAE’s “tax-free” status — impacted interest from businesses looking to set up shop in the UAE?

SL: The important thing when it comes to policy practice is when you have a significant change, not to roll it out and say, you have three months to adapt to this. You need to give a long runway and grace period for companies to adjust internally and anticipate that. I think there's so many factors that are working in the UAE's favor, so I don't foresee a major impact [from the corporate tax] on companies pulling back on investment. The tax was onboarded with enough awareness, time, and discussion that people can internalize that and figure out how to handle it.

ENTERPRISE: Are US businesses deterred by the increasingly complex geopolitical environment on this side of the world? G42 recently had to cut ties with Chinese businesses in order to appease US partners. Are these partnerships a problem for US businesses?

SL: As a business, you should want to make sure that the rules of the road and the game is fair. I think most US companies would say, if everything is on a level playing field, then our product and our ability to deliver service; we can compete. We think we can succeed, particularly in a place like here in the UAE, where the focus is on innovation and new technologies, because I think, by most measures, the US is a tech giant. Of course, competition is growing, but we still continue to excel at that. Are we going to be the lowest cost producer? No, but that's been the case for decades. So that's not our value add. That's not our strength.

What our manufacturers produce often comes with the aftersale benefit; the training, the maintenance, things that others may not bring to the table. So for governments like here in UAE, I think there's a confidence that the US will continue to be a main strategic partner here and elsewhere in the region, and as long as the rules of the road and the playing fields level, I think there’s a strong confidence that we can compete and succeed.

ENTERPRISE: Why do you think the UAE has been so successful in positioning itself as an innovation capital hub?

SL: They’ve been smart and fortunate to have an incredibly capable population. I think they've brought enough people, the majority of whom are trained and educated in an area that fits one of the buckets they prioritize. They’re not thinking about how to get a job in the field of the last hundred years, but you know, what do the next ten-15 years look like? It’s a very forward looking approach, and it's become part of the culture here.

They put a lot of effort into the STEM space, so they're churning out people that are working in genomics and life sciences. You have practitioner doctors, but you also have Emiratis that are coming out of colleges and programs that are thinking about how we can enable genomics and what that means for the future of healthcare here in the UAE.

They're also matching that with the investments, so that you have leading hospitals that are coming here and setting up shop and they have innovation centers as well. They're matching the talent with investment and the know how and capability of global firms. And then also putting in place the policy environment that enables it all. Because if you have a lot of roadblocks, things that limit that, it's just going to become a challenge.

There’s a really interesting FDI program that aims to attract companies that are looking to scale, and they can be young companies that have a new technology or innovation and are looking for a place to grow. The program offers incentives and helps them not only establish themselves here, but also to use this as a hub to grow their business in the region. That also sets the UAE apart, because they're not just looking for the big multinationals, they're looking at the future multinationals or companies that are growing and doing innovative things.

Ras El Hekma + Abu Dhabi’s take on Santorini lead mentions of the UAE in the foreign press

The UAE’s investment in Egypt’s Ras El Hekma got the spotlight treatment in Bloomberg, which is out with a piece and a 48-minute podcast exploring the strategic aims of the UAE that lie behind its decision to invest USD 35 bn in Egypt’s North Coast.

Fast fact that we here at Enterprise hadn’t twigged to: The UAE is deploying a sum equal to 7% of its GDP, write Mirette Magdy, Ziad Daoud, and Michael Gunn.

Also getting attention: Abu Dhabi’s “fake Santorini” — the new Abu Dhabi Santorini-Abu Dhabi retreat — is a great lure for luxury travelers and wealthy locals, Bloomberg said.

du, Samsung sign three-year partnership + China’s Chint sets up shop in Dubai

TELECOMS-

Telecoms operator duinked an MoU with South Korean electronics giant Samsung to expand its digital offerings and provide both companies’ customers with expanded B2B and B2C services, according to a press release. The three-year partnership will also give du’s customers “exclusive access” to Samsung’s latest products.

ENERGY-

Chinese smart energy solutions firm Chint Group inaugurated its regional headquarters in Dubai, as the company looks to grow its presence in the region and Africa, AlKhaleej reports. The firm chose the emirate for its “strategic location” as well as its infrastructure and logistics services, which will enable Chint to boost its regional operations, Chint GCC Regional Director Leon Li told AlKhaleej.

REAL ESTATE-

Sharjah government housing project to be completed next year: The Sheikh Zayed Housing Program is currently in the last stages of developing the fourth and last phase of the Mowrrada 8 project in Sharjah, slated to be completed by 1Q 2025, according to an Energy and Infrastructure Ministry statement. The project will boast 380 housing units, stretched over 121k sqm of land.

US investors, beware Chinese zombie companies

US investors in Chinese companies are stuck in zombieland: US investors are increasingly unable to repatriate returns in what the New York Times refers to as the Chinese version of “zombie” companies. Like TikTok parent company ByteDance — where some USD 8 bn of capital is stuck — these are Chinese firms, often booming, that are caught in geopolitical crosshairs, preventing investors from receiving returns.

ICYMI- The US House of Representatives last week voted to give ByteDance six months to sell TikTok or face a ban in the US over concerns about the Chinese government’s access to US user data.

It’s much more complicated than it may seem: Export control rules on tech imposed by China in 2022 mean that even if TikTok gets sold, its recommendation algorithm — the app’s most valuable feature — is unlikely to be included in the sale. Buying TikTok without the algorithm would be akin to acquiring Hulu without the rights to its content, said Columbia Business School professor Jonathon Knee. “It’s not completely clear what you’re buying,” he explained.

Chinese companies aren’t as attractive as they once were: China’s regulatory crackdowns, coupled with falling company valuations triggered by the country’s economic slowdown, have made acquisitions less tempting for US buyers. Some 3.2k Chinese companies were acquired last year, half of what was bought in 2019.

And less Chinese companies are IPOing in the US: Chinese companies have grown wary of listing in the US since ride hailing app Didi delisted from the New York Stock Exchange in 2022 due to regulatory pressure by China. Only three Chinese startups listed in the US in 2022, down from 18 per year between 2018 and 2021.

THE MARKET THIS MORNING-

Asian markets are mixed and stock futures little changed in trading early this morning as traders take a breather ahead of fresh economic guidance from the US Federal Reserve this week.

ADX	9,221	-0.4% (YTD: -3.7%)
DFM	4,262	-0.7% (YTD: +5.0%)
Nasdaq Dubai UAE20	3,702	-0.6% (YTD: -3.6%)
USD : AED CBUAE	Buy 3.67	Sell 3.67
EIBOR	5.0% o/n	5.4% 1 yr
TASI	12,762	+0.3% (YTD: +6.6%)
EGX30	31,062	-0.8% (YTD: +24.8%)
S&P 500	5,117	-0.7% (YTD: -7.3%)
FTSE 100	7,727	-0.2% (YTD: -0.1%)
Euro Stoxx 50	4,986	-0.1% (YTD: +10.3%)
Brent crude	USD 85.36	0.0%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 1.70	-2.7%
Gold	USD 2,155	0.0%
BTC	USD 68,766	+3.3% (YTD: +62.0%)

THE CLOSING BELL-

The ADX fell 0.4% yesterday on turnover of AED 1.3 bn. The index is down 3.7% YTD.

In the green: Ghitha Holding (+15.0%), Emirates Stallions Group (+7.0%) and Umm Al Qaiwain General Investment (+4.6%).

In the red: Palms Sports (-10.0%), Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (-6.5%) and Rapco Investment (-4.5%).

Over on the DFM, the index closed down 0.7% on turnover of AED 739 mn. Meanwhile in Nasdaq Dubai the index fell 0.6%.

CORPORATE ACTIONS-

Budget carrier Air Arabia approved a final dividend payout of 20 fils per share for 2023, representing 20% of the bank’s net income, according to a DFM filing (pdf).

Healthcare services provider Burjeel Holdings has proposed a dividend payout of AED 65mn for its 2023 earnings, equivalent to one fils per share, according to an ADX disclosure (pdf).

Emaar Development’s board approved distributing AED 2.08 bn in cash dividends toshareholders, according to a DFM disclosure (pdf). This amount represents 52% of the share capital, equating to 52 fils per share.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan discusses boosting ties with Qatari Emir, PM

FM meets Qatari Emir + PM at Lusail:Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamed Al Thani and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdurrahman bin Jassim Al Thani in Qatar yesterday to discuss strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation, state news agency Wam reported (here and here). Sheikh Abdullah also discussed with bin Jassim Al Thani the situation in Gaza and the need to secure a ceasefire.

Remember: The UAE and Qatar restored ties in June 2023 following the 2017 blockade of Qatar by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Egypt.

OTHER DIPLO NEWS-

State Minister Noura Al Kaabi emphasized the importance of protecting Palestinianwomen, fortifying national institutions, and securing women's access to education and climate financing at the UN's Commission on the Status of Women session. (Statement)
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) committee convened in Abu Dhabi for the first time to discuss advancing ties and cooperation between the UAE and the association. The committee met with State Minister Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh to review joint projects and initiatives under the UAE-ASEAN 2024-2028 action plan (pdf), which was adopted last year. (Statement)
President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and CEO of US nonprofit World Central Kitchen Erin Gore discussed boosting cooperation to address Gaza's humanitarian needs, emphasizing UAE's support for the maritime corridor initiative. (Wam)

CALENDAR

MARCH

14 March-14 April (Thursday-Sunday): Dakakeen Festival, Khorfakkan Amphitheatre.

16 March-4 April (Saturday-Thursday): Souq Al Freej Ramadan market, Sharjah National Park.

21 March (Thursday): Parkin shares begin trading.

21 March-10 April (Thursday-Wednesday): Ramadan Nights 2024, Expo Centre Sharjah.

26 March (Tuesday): Chimera JPMorgan UAE Bond UCITS ETF to debut on the ADX.

APRIL

9-10 April (Tuesday-Wednesday): End of Ramadan, public holiday.

8-12 April (Monday-Friday): Eid Al Fitr, public holiday.

15-16 April (Monday-Tuesday): Blockchain Life Forum 2024, Festival Arena, Dubai.

16-18 April (Tuesday-Thursday): World Future Energy Summit, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

16-18 April (Tuesday-Thursday): EcoWaste Exhibition and Forum, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre

16-18 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Middle East Coatings Show, Dubai World Trade Centre.

16-18 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Middle East Energy, Dubai World Trade Centre.

22-23 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Industrialists Career Exhibition, Abu Dhabi Energy Centre.

23-25 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Connecting Green Hydrogen MENA, Madinat Jumeirah Conference Centre.

23-25 April (Tuesday-Thursday): Argus Fertilizer Asia Conference, Abu Dhabi.

24-25 April (Wednesday-Thursday): Ras Al Khaimah Investment and Trade Summit, Rak Exhibition Centre.

24-26 April (Wednesday-Friday): Global Education & Training Exhibition.

24 April-1 May (Wednesday-Wednesday): Abu Dhabi Mobility Week.

25-26 April (Thursday-Friday): DRIFTx, Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi.

29-30 April (Monday- Tuesday): Dubai World Ins. Congress, Atlantis, The Palm.

MAY

1-5 May (Wednesday-Sunday): The Sharjah Animation Conference, Expo Centre Sharjah.

6-7 May (Monday-Tuesday): Dubai Fintech Summit 2024, Madinat Jumeirah.

7-9 May (Tuesday-Thursday): AIM Congress 2024, Abu Dhabi.

8-9 May (Wednesday-Thursday): Innovative Finance Expo, Jumeirah Emirates Towers.

8-12 May (Wednesday-Sunday): Schmetterling Annual Conference, Al Ain and Abu Dhabi.

14-15 May (Tuesday-Wednesday): Seamless Middle East, Dubai World Trade Centre.

14-16 May (Tuesday-Thursday): The Airport Show, Dubai World Trade Centre.

15 May (Wednesday): HFM Summit, DIFC.

18-26 May (Saturday-Sunday): Abu Dhabi Comedy Week, Abu Dhabi.

19 May (Sunday): Investopia Europe, Milan.

24-25 May (Friday-Saturday): Baby Expo, Dubai World Trade Centre.

JUNE

2-4 June (Sunday-Tuesday): The World Air Transport Summit and International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s annual general meeting, Dubai.

4-6 June (Tuesday-Thursday): The Hotel Show, Dubai World Trade Centre.

4-6 June (Tuesday-Thursday): INDEX, Dubai World Trade Centre.

4-6 June (Tuesday-Thursday): WORKSPACE, Dubai World Trade Centre.

4-6 June (Tuesday-Thursday): Leisure Show, Dubai World Trade Centre.

15 June (Saturday): Arafat day, national holiday.

16-18 June (Sunday-Tuesday): Eid Al-Adha, national holiday.

JULY

7 July (Sunday): Islamic new year, national holiday.

SEPTEMBER

9-11 September (Monday-Wednesday): World Utilities Congress, Abu Dhabi.

28-30 September (Saturday-Monday): World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) Biennial General Meeting, Abu Dhabi.

OCTOBER

30-1 November (Wednesday-Friday): World Cities Cultural Summit, Dubai.

8-10 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition & Conference, ADNEC Abu Dhabi.

NOVEMBER

11-14 November (Monday-Thursday): ADIPEC, Abu Dhabi.

11-14 November (Monday-Thursday): ADIPEC Maritime and Logistics Exhibition and Conference, Abu Dhabi.

11-14 November (Monday-Thursday): ADIPEC Decarbonisation Accelerator, Abu Dhabi.

DECEMBER

2-3 December (Monday-Tuesday): National Day, public holiday.

9-10 December (Saturday-Sunday): The Bitcoin Mena Conference, Adnec Centre Abu Dhabi.

10-12 December (Tuesday-Thursday): Middle East Business Aviation, Dubai World Central.

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