United Arab Emirates

In 2011, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer James Hogan hatched a bold strategy to catch up with the airline’s more established Persian Gulf rivals: buying stakes in smaller, cash-hungry carriers across three continents to cobble together enough passengers to propel the Abu Dhabi-based company into the ranks of the global aviation elite. But after more than $4 billion of share purchases, bond buyouts, and other investments, the wannabe airline superpower has little to show for its long-odds gamble, Bloomberg News reported.

Dubai-listed conglomerate Gulf General Investment Co(GGICO) said on Monday it expected to complete a restructuring of around Dhs2.36bn ($643m) in loans by next month. The firm, which has investments spanning financial services, property, hospitality, manufacturing and retailing, previously renegotiated Dhs2.8bn in financial commitments in 2012. But the subdued local economy prompted the company to revisit that debt restructuring last year.

The naming of a new boss at Etihad Airways presents the Gulf carrier with an opportunity to rethink its aggressive expansion strategy after the failure of minority-owned Alitalia underlined the big barriers to global growth, the International New York Times reported on a Reuters story. Ray Gammell was appointed interim CEO this week, days after Alitalia sought bankruptcy protection with $3.3 billion (£2.5 billion) of debt. He replaces veteran boss James Hogan.

Investors in United Arab Emirates construction stocks can remember the good days -- when oil above $100 a barrel encouraged a seemingly endless stream of lucrative projects, Bloomberg News reported. Now, with crude priced at half that, companies are trying to rebuild their balance sheets. The downturn has translated into pain for investors in two of the largest construction companies in the U.A.E. Arabtec Holding Co. has slumped 90 percent from its May 2014 record, while Drake & Scull International P.J.S.C. is down 78 percent from its June 2014 peak.

Dana Gas PJSC will ask bondholders to accept changed terms on $700 million of debt coming due in October as the energy producer based in the United Arab Emirates seeks to restructure debt for the second time in five years, Bloomberg News reported. Holders of the Islamic bonds, or sukuk, should form a committee to represent them in the planned discussions, Sharjah, U.A.E.-based Dana Gas said Wednesday in a statement to the Abu Dhabi stock exchange.

UAE residents are hopeful that new bankruptcy legislation will ease the burden on small business owners. After years of deliberations, in December the federal government introduced an insolvency law to ease the orderly unwinding of bankrupt companies, including protections for debtors. The law — still untested because of its newness — stays proceedings on bounced cheques if the debtor is in a court-approved insolvency process, the Financial Times reported.

Emirates, the world's biggest long-haul airline, said on Monday it was in the process of only a "modest restructuring," two months after it reported a 75 percent decline in half-year profits due to slower growth and increased competition, Reuters reported. Gulf carriers who spent years rapidly expanding into markets from South America to Africa are under pressure to adapt to weaker markets, overcapacity and a stronger dollar.

Islamic mortgage provider Amlak Finance has announced the renegotiation of a restructuring deal with its financiers, Gulf Business reported. The firm said it approached financiers in September to wave “a number of restrictive covenants” in its original restructuring terms from 2014. These included adjustments restrictions to allow for the company’s mortgage book to be maintained at higher levels, funds to be raised under certain pre-agreed parameters and the removal of restrictions on business origination. The majority of financiers have now approved the company’s new business plan.

The new bankruptcy law could come into effect by the end of the year, amid concerns that the court system may struggle to implement it effectively, The National reported. The bankruptcy law was published in the country’s official legal gazette on September 29, stating that it will come into effect three months later, according to a senior Abu Dhabi lawyer and a senior executive at the Ministry of Finance.

Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, the Minister of State for Financial Affairs, said on Tuesday that the government is working on a new personal insolvency law that would apply to individuals. His comments follow the news that the UAE’s new bankruptcy law, which protects companies that cannot pay their debts from criminal prosecution, has been approved by the Cabinet and could come into effect early next year. Mr Al Tayer said that the law dealing with personal insolvencies would take about 12 months to draft, giving no indication when it is likely to come into effect.