http://www.ft.com/world/mideast/economyhttp://www.ft.com/rss/world/mideast/economyFT.com - World, Middle East - Economyen© Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2008. "FT" and "Financial Times" are trademarks of the Financial Times. See http://www.ft.com/servicestools/help/terms#legal1 for the terms and conditions of reuse.support@ft.comTue, 22 Jul 2008 23:03 BSTFri, 25 Jul 2008 04:04:15 BSTNewspapers15http://news.ft.com/cms/d1f3ce1a-6bbe-11da-bb53-0000779e2340.gifhttp://www.ft.com/world/mideast/economy(PICS-1.1 "http://www.classify.org/safesurf/" L gen true for "http://www.ft.com/" r (SS~~000 1))http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2af09fcc-580f-11dd-b02f-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2af09fcc-580f-11dd-b02f-000077b07658.htmlTo many Israelis, the geology of the Middle East has always seemed unfair. While other countries in the region have been raking in hydrocarbon riches for decades, Israel has searched for oil and gas largely in vainTue, 22 Jul 2008 23:03 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9afa5bea-581f-11dd-b02f-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9afa5bea-581f-11dd-b02f-000077b07658.htmlMubadala, Abu Dhabi's increasingly powerful state investment vehicle, said it planned to become one of General Electric's biggest institutional investors as it announced a series of deals with the US group, including a $8bn joint venture to set up a commercial finance businessTue, 22 Jul 2008 21:11 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/24674a68-5763-11dd-916c-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/24674a68-5763-11dd-916c-000077b07658.htmlCorporate bonds issued in the Gulf rose by 17% in the past year to $17bn at the end of June in spite of the credit crisis and deteriorating global economic outlookTue, 22 Jul 2008 01:00 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/87105706-5734-11dd-916c-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/87105706-5734-11dd-916c-000077b07658.htmlAbu Dhabi's investment company has unveiled the highest possible ambitions in the airline sector Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:47 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2eed6510-567f-11dd-8686-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2eed6510-567f-11dd-8686-000077b07658.htmlThe emirate is banking on other diversification initiatives to expand the sector, but sceptics question if growth can be sustained as some hotels complain of poor occupancyMon, 21 Jul 2008 02:41 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ce3abd36-551f-11dd-ae9c-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ce3abd36-551f-11dd-ae9c-000077b07658.htmlA report by the fund says that Tehran should raise interest rates and that growth is expected to slow, but judges that overall prospects for the economy are goodSat, 19 Jul 2008 01:48 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/15285a98-5299-11dd-9ba7-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/15285a98-5299-11dd-9ba7-000077b07658.htmlThe oil-rich nation is set to create a state investment vehicle, considered by many as its first sovereign wealth fund, which will have an initial capital of $5.3bnWed, 16 Jul 2008 02:29 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1212d004-5299-11dd-9ba7-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1212d004-5299-11dd-9ba7-000077b07658.htmlThe Gulf state plans to fund agricultural projects in Kazakhstan as part of its efforts to secure food suppliesWed, 16 Jul 2008 02:24 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6a510306-529b-11dd-9ba7-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6a510306-529b-11dd-9ba7-000077b07658.htmlA committee drawn from a council which advises the Saudi king will recommend revaluing the riyal, refuelling the speculation about the fate of the currencyTue, 15 Jul 2008 19:55 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b893d99c-51bc-11dd-a97c-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b893d99c-51bc-11dd-a97c-000077b07658.htmlDepa, the leading interior constructor, is seeking a future as glittering as its recent past by expanding beyond the emirateMon, 14 Jul 2008 18:28 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5d55908c-4d0e-11dd-b527-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5d55908c-4d0e-11dd-b527-000077b07658.htmlState-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and ConocoPhillips of the US signed a long-awaited deal to develop a mammoth onshore gas projectTue, 8 Jul 2008 19:45 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/43b48840-4b1f-11dd-a490-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/43b48840-4b1f-11dd-a490-000077b07658.htmlAbu Dhabi has reignited speculation that the United Arab Emirates, one of the world's main holders of dollar-denominated assets, might break its peg to the US dollarMon, 7 Jul 2008 18:38 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f7809624-4c3d-11dd-96bb-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f7809624-4c3d-11dd-96bb-000077b07658.htmlMan Group has teamed up with an Abu Dhabi-owned investment company to make electricity from the gas produced as a byproduct of oil drilling, which is currently wasted in the form of flaringMon, 7 Jul 2008 17:11 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4c6a06fa-4baf-11dd-a490-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4c6a06fa-4baf-11dd-a490-000077b07658.htmlThe Gulf state's finance ministry hopes to raise a premium to the $1.1bn market value of the stake in Oman Telecommunications Company as its privatisation continuesMon, 7 Jul 2008 02:09 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e0c488b6-4b7d-11dd-a490-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e0c488b6-4b7d-11dd-a490-000077b07658.htmlEven as Syria is looking to restore ties with the west, reflected in improved diplomatic relations with France, Damascus has been careful to foster relations with other powersSun, 6 Jul 2008 23:22 BST