Middle East Loans

Middle Eastern banks are diversifying their funding portfolios by entering the international syndicated loan market for the first time, with Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB) signing a deal at the end of September and two more due to sign this month.

Dubai healthcare group Aster DM Healthcare has signed a $295m facility with banks from the UAE and India despite its expansion plans in scandal-hit Qatar casting some concerns over the syndication.

Dubai healthcare group Aster DM Healthcare has signed a $295m facility with nine banks, despite concerns that its operations in Qatar would complicate syndication of the debt.

Bahrain Islamic Bank (BIsB) has signed its debut syndicated loan for $101m, double the initial launch amount.

Emerging market loan bankers may have to look to the private sector for deals as sovereign entities in the Middle East take a step back from the loan market.

Oman Oil Company Exploration and Production (OOCEP) has signed a $1bn loan with 11 banks, the fifth loan to come from the state-owned Oman Oil group.

The dispute between Qatar and six other Gulf states could curb its chances of plugging the country's banks’ funding needs through the syndicated loan market, leading bankers to believe more private arrangements may be the answer to the isolated gulf state’s woes. Bianca Boorer reports.

Saudi Arabia is following its fellow Gulf states by developing renewable energy. Bids are expected this month to build a 300MW solar photovoltaic power plant in Sakaka.

Dubai’s Department of Finance has taken out a $1.1bn syndicated loan to finance the expansion of the city's metro line, as part of its plan to host the World Expo 2020.

Saudi Electricity’s $1.75bn loan, which was signed on August 16, is being syndicated out by the eight lead banks on the deal.

Oman Oil’s subsidiary, Oman Oil Company Exploration and Production (OOCEP), is to resurrect a structure for its latest loan that could help other borrowers from the sultanate to access capital markets as the country loads up on debt, writes Bianca Boorer.

Oman Oil’s subsidiary, Oman Oil Company Exploration and Production (OOCEP), is to resurrect a structure for its latest loan that could help other borrowers from the sultanate to access capital markets as the country loads up on debt.