GFH Announces Net Profit of $19.1 Million in Q1

GFH records a growth in its profits (Asharq Al-Awsat)
GFH records a growth in its profits (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

GFH Announces Net Profit of $19.1 Million in Q1

GFH records a growth in its profits (Asharq Al-Awsat)
GFH records a growth in its profits (Asharq Al-Awsat)

GFH Financial Group (GFH) has announced a net profit attributable to shareholders of $19.11 million for the first quarter of the year ended on March 31, 2022, up 18.5 percent from $16.12 million in the first quarter of 2021.

The growth reflects several key deals within the group’s investment banking activities, GFH said.

Earnings per share for first quarter of 2022 were US cents 0.54 compared to US cents 0.52 for the first quarter of 2021. Total income for the first quarter of 2022 was $90.81 million compared to $90.39 million in the first quarter of 2021, an increase of 0.47 percent.

Consolidated net profit for the first quarter was $19.35 million compared with $19.34 million in the first quarter of 2021, a marginal increase of 0.04 percent.

The group’s total assets on March 31, 2022 were $8.11 billion, compared with $8.08 billion on December 31, 2021, a slight increase of 0.37 percent. Total expenses for the first three months of the year were $71.46 million, up by 0.57 percent from $71.05 million compared to the same period in 2021.

“As the Group continues to focus on Islamic finance and asset management in the ever-changing global financial environment, we look forward to continuing to keep the pace with the opportunities in this field as well as continuing to invest in key markets in the GCC and US,” Ghazi Al Hajeri, Chairman of GFH, said.

CEO of GFH Hisham Alrayes commented: “In the first quarter of 2022, we continued to grow according to the business plan, moving ahead with executing our robust pipeline of opportunities. Several key deals reflected positively on our income during the quarter, including the placement of our medical offices and logistics portfolios in the US.”

Alrayes added: “Real estate and infrastructure investments were separated from the Group’s consolidated accounts after the sale of 60% of Infracorp shares, which reflected positively.

"Regarding the efficiency of the capital and the expected profitability of the group, we look forward to continuing this growth during the year and delivering on shareholder expectations, especially with the upcoming instrument in the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.”



Davos to Welcome Trump Virtually as World Leaders Await New US President’s Policies

Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during an election night event at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, on November 6, 2024. (AFP)
Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during an election night event at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, on November 6, 2024. (AFP)
TT

Davos to Welcome Trump Virtually as World Leaders Await New US President’s Policies

Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during an election night event at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, on November 6, 2024. (AFP)
Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during an election night event at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, on November 6, 2024. (AFP)

Donald Trump will mark his return to the global stage with a virtual World Economic Forum appearance in Davos next week, as world leaders await details of the incoming US President's policies and his pledge to end the war in Ukraine.

Trump is due to return to the White House on Jan. 20, with his inauguration for a second term as US President coinciding with the start of the 55th annual WEF meeting of political and business leaders in the Swiss mountain resort.

Meanwhile, another key player in any attempt to bring peace to Ukraine, the country's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, will make a special address and take questions, the WEF meeting organizers said on Tuesday.

Among the other global leaders due to attend the meeting, which will include 60 heads of state and government, are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and China's vice premier Ding Xuexiang, WEF President and CEO Borge Brende said during a press conference.

Brende said Trump, who has twice previously attended Davos, will join "digitally" on Jan. 23, without giving further details. He said it would be a "very special moment" to learn about the new Trump administration's policy priorities.

"There is a lot of interest to decipher and to understand the policies of the new administration, so it will be an interesting week," Brende said.

Topics on the Davos agenda range from mounting global geopolitical and economic uncertainty to trade tensions, climate goals and how AI can help make lives better.

Business leaders have become more optimistic about the economy given Trump's pledges to reduce regulation, potentially cut taxes and ease restrictions on activities including mergers and acquisitions, Rich Lesser, global chair of Boston Consulting Group, told Reuters ahead of the meeting.

Lesser said, however, that underlying optimism is being offset by concerns about tariffs, deportations, a widening budget deficit and the US relationship with China.

MIDDLE EAST

This year's meeting in Davos is taking place against "the most complicated geopolitical backdrop in generations," Brende said, adding that the forum will have a strong focus on Middle East geopolitics, including high-level diplomatic talks.

Delegates will discuss developments in Syria and the humanitarian crises in Gaza and Yemen alongside other topics.

Participants will include Qatar's Prime Minister, the Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister, Syria's foreign minister, the UN special envoy on Syria, the Iranian Vice President, Israel's President and the Palestinian Prime Minister.

"There will be a hard work at the situation in Syria, the terrible humanitarian situation in Gaza ... the potential escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. We were very close to it between Israel and Iran, and I don't think we're out of the woods yet," Brende said.

CLIMATE

The WEF will this week release an analysis looking at companies that account for two-thirds of global market capitalization, which will show that only about 10% are taking meaningful and tangible action on the climate and nature agenda.

Business and political leaders gathering in Davos from Jan. 20 to Jan. 24 are also due to discuss how to ensure energy remains affordable, secure and green and the challenges preventing acceleration of efforts towards energy transition.

"We’re in a really challenging moment for climate, where countries are asking if other nations are doing their share," said Boston Consulting Group's Lesser.