Emirates Islamic, one of the leading Islamic financial institutions in the UAE, has reported an operating profit of AED1.1 billion ($299.52 million) for the quarter ending March 31, 2026, 7% growth over the same period last year.
Emirates NBD, in line with the resilient operating environment in the UAE, reported a profit before tax of AED8.2 billion ($2.23 billion) for the first quarter of 2026, up 6% yoy, driven by strong balance sheet growth, resilient margins and record non-funded income growth.
ADCB, a leading UAE banking group, has delivered record profit before tax of AED3.781 billion ($1.03 billion) in Q1’26, up 30% year on year, extending profit growth track record to 19 consecutive quarters.
Kuwait Finance House – Bahrain (KFH), a leading bank in the kingdom, has announced that it is allowing individual and corporate customers to defer domestic loan instalments and credit card payments for three months, in line with guidance from the Central Bank of Bahrain.
The UAE's banking sector achieved regional leadership with assets valued at AED5.4 trillion ($1.47 trillion) in 2025, supported by a 17.9% growth in the credit portfolio and a 16.2% increase in deposits, said the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates' 2025 annual report.
In a strategic move, Bahrain-based Islamic wholesale bank GFH Financial Group (GFH) said it has rebranded as GFH Bank, in a move that reflects a shift in its business model and aims to sharpen its identity as an integrated banking and investment institution.
The proposed merger between Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) and the National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) remains on track for potential completion this year, despite ongoing regional economic challenges, a Gulf Daily News report said.
GCC banking systems face few immediate credit risks from the regional conflict that has followed attacks on Iran by Israel and the US, says Fitch since the GCC sovereign ratings generally have sufficient headroom to withstand a short regional conflict that does not escalate significantly further.
Emirates NBD said it has successfully closed $2.25 billion in long-term financing despite a challenging regional and global environment. The transaction includes a $1.75 billion five-year sustainability-linked syndicated term loan and a $500 million five-year Club Commodity Murabaha term facility.
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the independent banking, financial services and markets regulator of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), has announced the temporary closure of Nasdaq Dubai, effective March 2 to 3, 2026.
