LONDON (Reuters) - Investors in private equity funds that focus on emerging markets are tightening oversight after the collapse of a Middle East buyout firm, a survey has found. Many investors said they planned to put more money into such funds over the next two years, but also to install extra checks and balances, suggested the survey by the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA). Dubai-based Abraaj Capital Ltd had been the largest buyout fund in the Middle East and North Africa...

DUBAI/ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Union National Bank and Al Hilal Bank agreed a merger on Tuesday to create the third-largest bank in the United Arab Emirates. FILE PHOTO - A branch of UAE based bank Al Hilal is seen in Jumeirah, May 16, 2013. REUTERS/Jumana El Heloueh The bank will become the fifth largest in the GCC with 420 billion UAE dirham ($114.35 billion) in assets with increased productivity and economies of scale expected to boost profitability, the statement...

DUBAI (Reuters) - United Arab Emirates-based UAE Exchange and U.S. startup Ripple plan to launch cross-border remittances to Asia via blockchain by the first quarter of 2019, UAE Exchange’s group CEO said in an interview. The logo of blockchain company Ripple is seen at the SIBOS banking and financial conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada October 19, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo Asia was one of the biggest recipients of the roughly $613 billion in remittances sent globally last...

People pass by the logo of Standard Chartered plc at the SIBOS banking and financial conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada October 19, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo DUBAI (Reuters) - Standard Chartered (STAN.L) is cutting jobs in its retail bank in the United Arab Emirates, in part as more customers move to digital services, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The bank has also reduced headcount within other sectors of the bank, including corporate and commercial...

DUBAI (Reuters) - Standard Chartered’s (STAN.L) private equity arm is seeking to sell its stake in a unit of Saudi Binladin Group, the construction group whose owners were entangled in Saudi Arabia’s anti-corruption purge, said three sources familiar with the matter. Construction Products Holding’s (CPC) parent company Binladin is undergoing a restructuring which will likely affect its hundreds of units, after the government took a stake in the conglomerate and formed a committee to oversee...