Saturday 2 January 2016

Emaar brand faces uphill battle after The Address Downtown Dubai fire | The National

Emaar brand faces uphill battle after The Address Downtown Dubai fire | The National:

"The New Year’s Eve fire at The Address Downtown Dubai hotel has left its owner, Emaar Properties, with a task ahead to avoid any damage to its brand that might follow the negative publicity it generated worldwide.

Dubai itself, though receiving widespread praise locally for the manner in which the civil authorities dealt with the blaze, also has negative coverage to counter after the skyscraper blaze, even if some of it may have been unwarranted.

“This is an accident that happened and an investigation needs to play its role, but there has been a lot of speculative sensationalisation by the media,” said Gaurav Sinha, the founder and head of Insignia Worldwide, a brand consultant specialising in tourism."



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UAE brokerage firms hit by a thinning stock market volumes | The National

UAE brokerage firms hit by a thinning stock market volumes | The National:

"Brokerages in the UAE will face tough times this year and may have to merge, close down or suspend their operations after traded volumes last year dropped by as much as 60 per cent from the year earlier, brokers said.

“As long as there are thin volumes in the market, it is more probable for brokerages to close down because the situation is a bit bad,” said Wael Darwish, the general manager of Mubasher Financial Services, a Dubai-based brokerage. “There may be consolidation.”

Average daily traded value on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) last year fell by 60.3 per cent to Dh603.2 million, compared with 2014."



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Crony capitalism is what shackles a nation’s growth | GulfNews.com

Crony capitalism is what shackles a nation’s growth | GulfNews.com:

"Economic inequality has skyrocketed in the US during the past few decades. That has prompted many calls for government policies to reverse that trend.

Defenders of the status quo argue that rising inequality is a necessary by-product of economic growth: If we don’t allow people the chance to become extremely rich, they will stop working, investing, saving and starting businesses. A receding tide will then cause all boats to sink.

Critics have responded with the claim that inequality doesn’t help growth but instead hurts it. This view was given ammunition by a number of recent studies, which have found a negative relationship between how much income inequality a country has and how fast it grows. One example is an International Monetary Fund study from 2015:"



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Khalifa congratulates Mohammad on 10 years as Ruler of Dubai | GulfNews.com

Khalifa congratulates Mohammad on 10 years as Ruler of Dubai | GulfNews.com:

"President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has sent a congratulatory cable to His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on the occasion of his upcoming ten year accession day anniversary, wishing him greater benevolence towards his country and his people in the coming decade.

Shaikh Khalifa also thanked Shaikh Mohammad for the advanced administrative, governmental, and developmental experiences he has delivered during the past ten years.

In a statement released on the occasion, which will be marked on January 4, Shaikh Khalifa said: “My brother His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has completed ten years of ruling and leading a rational and sophisticated government, one of the most advanced and efficient governments in managing its services, with the testimony of prestigious international organisations."



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