Dubai's market staged its biggest daily gain in more than two months as investors were buoyed by Greece's latest aid package.
Video: Market Minute, July 03, 2011
Farah Halime looks at a busy day on the bourses
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The Dubai Financial Market General Index climbed 2.5 per cent to 1,555.13 points, its highest point in a week, in the first day of trading after the Greek Parliament approved a set of austerity measures that staves off fears of a eurozone debt crisis.
Comment: Greek woes
Greece should look to Germany not Houdini for answers A good crisis should never be wasted. But by doing everything in their power to help Greece to avoid defaulting on its debt, that is precisely what the euro zone and the IMF are doing - writes James Doran. Read article
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International equities climbed higher on Friday as some clarity emerged on Greece's debt crisis. The country is suffering from one of its deepest recession in 40 years and a default would probably lead banks to freeze lending to other indebted European countries, causing a eurozone contagion.
Shares in the country's largest stocks climbed to new highs.
Among the biggest gainers at the opening bell, Emirates NBD, the country's largest bank by assets, climbed 6 per cent to Dh4.40 and Emaar Properties, the developer of the world's tallest tower, advanced 3.3 per cent to Dh3.12, as almost 7 million shares changed hands.
Analysts said the local markets were now at the mercy of international news as the summer hiatus gets underway.
"[Local market] performance is exclusively geared to external market moves," said Julian Bruce, the head of institutional sales at EFG Hermes in Dubai.
Shares of Tamweel, the home finance company majority owned by Dubai Islamic Bank, will be included in the Dubai Financial Market General Index and the banking subindex from today, according to a statement on the Dubai bourse.
Tamweel shares restarted trading on May 10 after being halted for almost two years pending its reorganisation.
In the capital, the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange added 0.8 per cent to 2,725.46 points, also its highest level in a week.
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
