Armchair football fans in UAE have a treat ahead

Is the UAE the world's best country to watch the English Premier League?

The changing dynamic of the Premier League 'Big Six'

While the title race is more open than ever, writes Richard Jolly, expect to see the champions among the final two challengers.

A summer of spending in the Premier League with fair play in mind. Read article

Adel Taarabt is the Premier League's new maverick. Read article

Premier League new teams Swansea are breaking down the boundaries. Read article

Premier League roller coaster is ready to begin all over again. Read article

Every single game is televised live here - if you fancy a bit of Wigan Athletic against Bolton Wanderers on a Monday night, you are in luck - so that is probably a yes, then.

And in the first month of the season, there are some superb matches. Here are our picks for the top five games in August:

Man City v Swansea City

Monday, 11pm

It's the world's richest club against the new boys from Wales.

The superstars taking on a squad of journeymen, many of whom have never played in the Premier League before.

Surely, this can only have one outcome, but what a chance for Swansea to make their mark.

If Manchester City are going to win the league, then games like this should be dealt with in the minimum of fuss.

Arsenal v Liverpool

Saturday, August 20, 3.45pm

Do you remember the days when these two were genuine title-challengers? Times have changed for these giants, however, this is still one of the games of the season.

This game could start to answer many of the questions hanging over the two squads. Can Liverpool build on the momentum of the second half of last season? Has Arsenal's team spirit been affected by a summer of speculation surrounding Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. And has either team got what it takes to be champions?

Man United v Tottenham

Monday, August 22, 11pm

The champions have strengthened since last season, while Spurs have done well to keep Luka Modric so far. The Croat may still play in this game, but possibly even in a red shirt.

United have made it clear that this season is all about winning title No 20 and closing that all-mighty gap on Barcelona in Europe. As for Spurs, manager Harry Redknapp seems a bit deflated after missing out on Champions League qualification after a thrilling run in the tournament last season. A win at Old Trafford would get the juices flowing again.

Tottenham v Man City

Sunday, August 28, 4.30pm

And then Spurs entertain City, who they drew with in this corresponding fixture last season.

The Abu Dhabi-backed club want to hit the ground running. To do that, they must improve on last season's displays in tricky away games like this.

After a top-three finish, City will now be marked men, as if they were not before. Beating them is a feather in the cap for any side, especially one with title ambitions of their own, such as Spurs.

Man United v Arsenal

Sunday, August 28, 7pm

This is always one of the first games you look for on the calendar.

United are annoyed because in their third Champions League final in four years, they fell short to Barca, arguably one of the best teams of all-time, a week after they won a record 19th title.

Arsenal have not won a trophy since 2005. That is a pretty big difference. In the days of Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira, this fixture usually brought with it controversy and a red card or two.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger now appear to get along, but the Scot would love nothing more than to put his old foe to the sword, just for fun.

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers

1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.

Naga

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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)

Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi

Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi

Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai

Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi

Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia

Europe’s rearming plan

Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital