<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> <rss version="2.0"> <channel> <title>Legal Business Online - Legal news, deals, jobs + events</title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com</link> <description>Welcome to Legal Business Online - the site for  legal news, deals, jobs, events and awards</description> <copyright>Copyright (C) 2013</copyright><ttl>5</ttl> <item> <title><![CDATA[Orix to buy stake in Medgulf for $200 mln]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/orix-to-buy-stake-in-medgulf-for-200-mln/111192</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/orix-to-buy-stake-in-medgulf-for-200-mln/111192</guid> <description><![CDATA[Japan's Orix Corp said on Wednesday it has agreed to buy a 25.7 percent stake in Bahrain-based insurer Mediterranean and Gulf Insurance and Reinsurance Company B.S.C (Medgulf) for a little over $200 million, the latest deal by a Japanese financial company seeking growth overseas amid weak prospects at home.

]]></description> <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:00:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Algeria probes state power boss over Alstom, GE deals]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/algeria-probes-state-power-boss-over-alstom-ge-deals/111195</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/algeria-probes-state-power-boss-over-alstom-ge-deals/111195</guid> <description><![CDATA[Algeria is investigating the head of its state power and gas utility, Sonelgaz, over contracts involving U.S. conglomerate General Electric Co and France's Alstom SA, sources told Reuters and Algerian local media reported.

]]></description> <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:56:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[HSBC hired to manage Oman power JV's IPO ]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/hsbc-hired-to-manage-oman-power-jvs-ipo/111194</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/hsbc-hired-to-manage-oman-power-jvs-ipo/111194</guid> <description><![CDATA[HSBC Holdings has been appointed to manage a public share offer of a joint venture firm that owns and operates a $1bn water and power project in Oman, two banking sources said on Tuesday.

]]></description> <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:53:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Oman needs to consider fiscal reforms as priority]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/oman-needs-to-consider-fiscal-reforms-as-priority/111193</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/oman-needs-to-consider-fiscal-reforms-as-priority/111193</guid> <description><![CDATA[Oman should consider fiscal reforms as a priority because continued growth in public spending may be unsustainable in the long run, its central bank said on Tuesday.

]]></description> <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:50:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Investcorp buys 38 pct stake in Saudi energy services firm]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/investcorp-buys-38-pct-stake-in-saudi-energy-services-firm/111191</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/investcorp-buys-38-pct-stake-in-saudi-energy-services-firm/111191</guid> <description><![CDATA[Bahrain-based Investcorp has bought a 38 percent stake in a Saudi oil and gas services company and expects to complete up to three more deals via its $1 billion Gulf fund in 2013, an executive at the firm said.

]]></description> <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:45:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Sipchem 'picks HSBC as adviser for Sahara merger']]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/sipchem-picks-hsbc-as-adviser-for-sahara-merger/111190</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/sipchem-picks-hsbc-as-adviser-for-sahara-merger/111190</guid> <description><![CDATA[Saudi International Petrochemical Co (Sipchem) has picked HSBC Holdings to advise on the firm's proposed merger with Sahara Petrochemical, three banking sources said on Tuesday.

]]></description> <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:42:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Qatar developer UDC to raise $428 mln loan]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/qatar-developer-udc-to-raise-428-mln-loan/111189</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/qatar-developer-udc-to-raise-428-mln-loan/111189</guid> <description><![CDATA[United Development Co (UDC), the developer of a man-made island in Doha, said on Thursday that is raising a 1.56 billion riyals ($428.4 million) loan facility from Qatar National Bank.

]]></description> <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:41:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Qatar tightens caps on banks' securities investment]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/qatar-tightens-caps-on-banks-securities-investment/111188</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/qatar-tightens-caps-on-banks-securities-investment/111188</guid> <description><![CDATA[Qatar's central bank has tightened its curbs on how much banks can invest in stocks and bonds, according to a circular released by the central bank and seen by Reuters.

]]></description> <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:40:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Caterpillar dealer Unatrac signs $700 mln loan]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/caterpillar-dealer-unatrac-signs-700-mln-loan/111187</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/caterpillar-dealer-unatrac-signs-700-mln-loan/111187</guid> <description><![CDATA[Unatrac Holding, the distributor of Caterpillar equipment in eight mainly African countries, has signed a $700 million, three-year loan to fund operations and refinance existing debt, it said in a statement on Thursday.

]]></description> <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:36:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Aldar awards $1.1 bln contract to Arabtec venture]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/aldar-awards-11-bln-contract-to-arabtec-venture/111186</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/aldar-awards-11-bln-contract-to-arabtec-venture/111186</guid> <description><![CDATA[Abu Dhabi's Aldar Properties has awarded a 4 billion dirhams ($1.09 billion) contract to a joint venture led by Dubai contractor Arabtec for a mixed-use development project in Kazakhstan, the companies said.

]]></description> <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:35:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[UAE revives bourse merger proposal after huge aluminium deal ]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/uae-revives-bourse-merger-proposal-after-huge-aluminium-deal/111185</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/uae-revives-bourse-merger-proposal-after-huge-aluminium-deal/111185</guid> <description><![CDATA[The United Arab Emirates has revived a proposal to merge its two main stock exchanges in a state-backed deal that could boost trade in the local market and attract more foreign investment to the Gulf state, sources familiar with the plan said.

]]></description> <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:30:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Waha Capital buys majority stake in UAE healthcare firm]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/waha-capital-buys-majority-stake-in-uae-healthcare-firm/111184</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/waha-capital-buys-majority-stake-in-uae-healthcare-firm/111184</guid> <description><![CDATA[Abu Dhabi investment firm Waha Capital has acquired a 97-percent stake in a UAE healthcare company and plans to invest up to 250 million dirhams ($68.1 million) over three years in the fast-growing sector, its chief executive said on Sunday.

]]></description> <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:29:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Kuwait-Malaysia tie-up to boost Islamic finance training]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/kuwait-malaysia-tie-up-to-boost-islamic-finance-training/111170</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/kuwait-malaysia-tie-up-to-boost-islamic-finance-training/111170</guid> <description><![CDATA[Malaysia's Islamic finance university and the research arm of Kuwait Finance House will develop training and internship programmes to address growing demand for professionals in the business, officials said on Tuesday.

]]></description> <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:55:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Etihad mulls equity stake in JAT Airways]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/etihad-mulls-equity-stake-in-jat-airways/111137</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/etihad-mulls-equity-stake-in-jat-airways/111137</guid> <description><![CDATA[The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Etihad Airways has signed a preliminary agreement with the Serbian government over a possible equity investment in the Balkan country's loss-making JAT Airways.

]]></description> <pubDate>Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:30:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Kuwait Finance House to start $224 mln rights issue ]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/kuwait-finance-house-to-start-224-mln-rights-issue/111096</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/kuwait-finance-house-to-start-224-mln-rights-issue/111096</guid> <description><![CDATA[Kuwait Finance House (KFH), the Gulf Arab state's largest Islamic bank, will begin a 64 million dinars ($223.9 million) capital increase programme on Wednesday to fund the bank's expansion and strengthen its balance sheet.

]]></description> <pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:08:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Saudi airports agency picks banks for huge riyal sukuk]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/saudi-airports-agency-picks-banks-for-huge-riyal-sukuk/111095</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/saudi-airports-agency-picks-banks-for-huge-riyal-sukuk/111095</guid> <description><![CDATA[Saudi Arabia's state airports operator has picked three banks to arrange the second tranche of its local Islamic bond programme, banking sources said on Tuesday, with a sale seen matching the firm's record breaking $4 billion debut sukuk in 2012.

]]></description> <pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:07:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Kuwaiti-led consortium offers $8.2 bln for Severn Trent]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/kuwaiti-led-consortium-offers-82-bln-for-severn-trent/111094</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/kuwaiti-led-consortium-offers-82-bln-for-severn-trent/111094</guid> <description><![CDATA[A consortium led by a Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund and two pension companies raised its proposed offer for Severn Trent to 5.3 billion pounds ($8.2 billion) on Friday, sending the British water utility's share price up by as much as 9 percent.

]]></description> <pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:05:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Orix to buy stake in Bahrain's Medgulf for $200 mln]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/orix-to-buy-stake-in-bahrains-medgulf-for-200-mln/111093</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/orix-to-buy-stake-in-bahrains-medgulf-for-200-mln/111093</guid> <description><![CDATA[Japan's Orix Corp said on Wednesday it has agreed to buy a 25.7 percent stake in Bahrain-based insurer Mediterranean and Gulf Insurance and Reinsurance Company B.S.C (Medgulf) for a little more than $200 million, the latest deal by a Japanese financial company seeking growth overseas amid weak prospects at home.


]]></description> <pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:04:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Bahrain picks banks for potential dollar bond issue]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/bahrain-picks-banks-for-potential-dollar-bond-issue/111092</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/bahrain-picks-banks-for-potential-dollar-bond-issue/111092</guid> <description><![CDATA[Bahrain has picked four banks to arrange investor meetings ahead of a potential sovereign bond issue, a document from lead managers said on Monday.

]]></description> <pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:03:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Qatar's Nakilat signs $917 mln refinancing deal]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/qatars-nakilat-signs-917-mln-refinancing-deal/111091</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/qatars-nakilat-signs-917-mln-refinancing-deal/111091</guid> <description><![CDATA[Qatar Gas Transport Co (Nakilat), one of the world's largest shippers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), signed a $917 million loan refinancing deal with Qatar National Bank, Nakilat said in a statement on Tuesday.

]]></description> <pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:02:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[UAE regulator to allow trading in share offer rights]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/uae-regulator-to-allow-trading-in-share-offer-rights/111090</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/uae-regulator-to-allow-trading-in-share-offer-rights/111090</guid> <description><![CDATA[The United Arab Emirates' securities regulator has decided to allow investors to trade subscription rights for share offers, the regulator said on Monday.

]]></description> <pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:01:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[Arabtec-led consortium wins $629 mln Jordan project]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/arabtec-led-consortium-wins-629-mln-jordan-project/111089</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/arabtec-led-consortium-wins-629-mln-jordan-project/111089</guid> <description><![CDATA[Dubai construction firm Arabtec said on Sunday that a consortium led by the company had won a $629 million contract to build the first phase of a tourism project in Jordan.

]]></description> <pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> <item> <title><![CDATA[ME shows M&amp;A revival signs as activity picks up]]></title> <link>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/me-shows-manda-revival-signs-as-activity-picks-up/111070</link> <guid>http://asia.legalbusinessonline.com/news/me-shows-manda-revival-signs-as-activity-picks-up/111070</guid> <description><![CDATA[After several sluggish years, mergers and acquisitions activity within the Middle East is showing signs of revival, giving hope to global banks which scaled back their regional operations because of a dearth of deal flow.]]></description> <pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate> </item> </channel></rss>