Adnoc's headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Fitch affirmed the group's standalone credit profile at AA+. Courtesy: Adnoc
Adnoc's headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Fitch affirmed the group's standalone credit profile at AA+. Courtesy: Adnoc
Adnoc's headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Fitch affirmed the group's standalone credit profile at AA+. Courtesy: Adnoc
Adnoc's headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Fitch affirmed the group's standalone credit profile at AA+. Courtesy: Adnoc

Fitch affirms Adnoc's AA+ rating on the back of high output and low cost of production


Jennifer Gnana
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Fitch affirmed Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's standalone credit profile at AA+ on the back of high upstream output, vast oil reserves and very low cost of production.

Adnoc's long-term issuer default rating was assessed at AA, with a stable outlook.

It cited the state oil company's continued integration into downstream operations, "very conservative financial policies, high financial flexibility and low leverage". Fitch also attributed the credit rating to strong unit profitability comparable to that of global oil majors.

The UAE accounts for 5.6 per cent of the world's proven oil reserves as well as 4 per cent of global output.The majority of the UAE's production comes from fields managed by Adnoc.

The state oil company last month announced plans to spend $122 billion over the next five years, of which $43.5bn will be directed towards the local economy. The company also announced substantial recoverable unconventional oil resources onshore, estimated at 22 billion barrels. There was also an increase of 2 billion barrels in conventional oil reserves, which maintains the UAE's position as the holder of the world's sixth largest oil reserves.

"Adnoc's low lifting costs, low maintenance capex and ability to manage production are a significant advantage in the volatile oil price environment," Fitch said in a note on Thursday.

Adnoc's plans to create a "hydrogen ecosystem" with export capabilities could mitigate potential risks for national oil companies stemming from energy transition, the agency said.

The state oil firm is also considering investments into alternative fuels and technologies such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage, in order to lower its carbon intensity.

Adnoc plans to expand its carbon capture programme to store about five million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

Big oil companies have pledged to reduce their carbon footprint this year amid a change in narrative in the fossil fuel industry prompted by coronavirus-induced restrictions.

Movement restrictions, which led to a halt in global air and ground transport and curbed oil demand, also prompted oil and gas companies to re-evaluate their strategies.

Adnoc has also pledged to lower its carbon footprint by 25 per cent over the next decade.

Fitch viewed Adnoc's planned spending favourably, noting the company will fund its capital expenditure programme largely from its operating cash flows.

"Its dividends will continue to be based on excess cash generated during the year adjusted for capital investments and debt movements," Fitch said.

The agency also commended the state oil company's strategy of bringing in minority partners to its operating entities in order to attract funding and improve access to overseas markets.

Adnoc raised $15.9bn through a series of transactions involving some of the world's leading private equity firms and pension funds. The amount raised this year was higher than the $10.6bn in 2019.

Adnoc concluded some large-scale transactions in the middle of the pandemic, such as a $20.7bn deal for its midstream assets. Global Infrastructure Partners, Brookfield Asset Management, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, South Korea's NH Investment & Securities and Italy’s Snam are all investors in the assets. The transaction unlocked $10.1bn in foreign direct investment into the UAE.

Adnoc also signed an agreement to monetise its non-core real estate assets with Apollo Global Management, in a deal worth $5.5bn. Adnoc received direct upfront proceeds of $2.7bn from the transaction.

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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?

The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.

A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.

Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.

The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.

When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY

Starting at 10am:

Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang

Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)

Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)

Donna Vekic (16) v Bernarda Pera 

Ekaterina Alexandrova v Zarina Diyas

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
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Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
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The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

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Fight card

Preliminaries:

Nouredine Samir (UAE) v Sheroz Kholmirzav (UZB); Lucas Porst (SWE) v Ellis Barboza (GBR); Mouhmad Amine Alharar (MAR) v Mohammed Mardi (UAE); Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) v Spyro Besiri (GRE); Aslamjan Ortikov (UZB) v Joshua Ridgwell (GBR)

Main card:

Carlos Prates (BRA) v Dmitry Valent (BLR); Bobirjon Tagiev (UZB) v Valentin Thibaut (FRA); Arthur Meyer (FRA) v Hicham Moujtahid (BEL); Ines Es Salehy (BEL) v Myriame Djedidi (FRA); Craig Coakley (IRE) v Deniz Demirkapu (TUR); Artem Avanesov (ARM) v Badreddine Attif (MAR); Abdulvosid Buranov (RUS) v Akram Hamidi (FRA)

Title card:

Intercontinental Lightweight: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) v Angel Marquez (ESP)

Intercontinental Middleweight: Amine El Moatassime (UAE) v Francesco Iadanza (ITA)

Asian Featherweight: Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) v Phillip Delarmino (PHI)

THURSDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY

Centre Court

Starting at 10am:

Lucrezia Stefanini v Elena Rybakina (6)

Aryna Sabalenka (4) v Polona Hercog

Sofia Kenin (1) v Zhaoxuan Yan

Kristina Mladenovic v Garbine Muguruza (5)

Sorana Cirstea v Karolina Pliskova (3)

Jessica Pegula v Elina Svitolina (2)

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Starting at 10am:

Sara Sorribes Tormo v Nadia Podoroska

Marketa Vondrousova v Su-Wei Hsieh

Elise Mertens (7) v Alize Cornet

Tamara Zidansek v Jennifer Brady (11)

Heather Watson v Jodie Burrage

Vera Zvonareva v Amandine Hesse

Court 2

Starting at 10am:

Arantxa Rus v Xiyu Wang

Maria Kostyuk v Lucie Hradecka

Karolina Muchova v Danka Kovinic

Cori Gauff v Ulrikke Eikeri

Mona Barthel v Anastasia Gasanova

Court 3

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Kateryna Bondarenko v Yafan Wang

Aliaksandra Sasnovich v Anna Bondar

Bianca Turati v Yaroslava Shvedova

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Croatia 1 (Kramaric 57')

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