Kuwait's Gulf Bank trading to resume on Tuesday



KUWAIT // Shares of Gulf Bank in Kuwait will resume trading on Tuesday, after they were suspended late last year, state news agency KUNA reported on Sunday. The bank is one of the country's largest financial institutions, and was one of the first in the region to report losses in the wake of the subprime fallout that had brought some of the world's largest financial houses to their knees. "The central bank decides to resume the trading in shares of Gulf Bank starting the day after tomorrow," KUNA said in an alert.

In October, the central bank halted trading in Gulf Bank until the end of a restructuring plan ordered by the government after the bank said it made 375 million dinars ($1.29 billion) in derivatives losses. In December the bank made a rights issue for 376 million dinars, which was taken up by existing shareholders and the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), the country's sovereign wealth fund. The KIA now holds a 16 per cent stake in the institution.

*With Agencies

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Haltia.ai
Started: 2023
Co-founders: Arto Bendiken and Talal Thabet
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: AI
Number of employees: 41
Funding: About $1.7 million
Investors: Self, family and friends

TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER

Directed by: Michael Fimognari

Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo

Two stars

'Worse than a prison sentence'

Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.

“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.

“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.

“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.

“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.

“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”

The Specs

Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 118hp
Torque: 149Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Price: From Dh61,500
On sale: Now