If you believed that gold offered the most lucrative investment returns, it's time to perhaps revisit that thought. The reason: two commodities that consumers use frequently are stealing some lustre from the yellow metal when it comes to returns.
The real challenge, however, for retail investors is how to invest in them as effortlessly as you would with the shiny metal.
Gold has been on a bull run, achieving record high prices this year. On October 31, spot gold soared to an all-time high of $2,790.15. However, bullion prices fell following Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential elections, as the US dollar strengthened. A stronger dollar increases the cost of bullion for international buyers.
The performance of gold does appear dazzling, but it still pales in comparison to coffee and cocoa – the two unexpected contenders flying under the radar for many investors – whose growth in futures prices have been outshining gold.
Arabica coffee, one of the components of soft commodities traded globally, has surged around 90 per cent on the Intercontinental Exchange, also known as Ice, between December 31, 2020, to November 4, 2024, far beating gold’s 45.2 per cent gain on the Commodity Exchange (Comex), part of the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), during the same period, Bloomberg data shows.
On November 4, prices of ‘C’ futures contract – the global benchmark for Arabica coffee – was trading at $243.20 a pound on the Ice, while gold futures on Comex was trading at $2,752.2 per ounce.
Arabica futures hit a 13-year high at $275.05 per pound on September 26, while November Robusta coffee futures hit an all-time high of $5,575 per metric tonne the same day.
"These were just the latest peaks after a period of three years of elevated coffee prices, which are the result of consecutive poor crops in the world’s two largest producers – Brazil and Vietnam,” Stefan Uhlenbrock, senior commodity analyst, S&P Global Commodity Insights, tells The National.
Like coffee beans, cocoa – the key ingredient used in making chocolates – too has rallied due to supply bottlenecks and poor weather affecting the crop.
The futures price of cocoa has left all soft commodities in the dust over the past two years. The cocoa contract on Ice – the world benchmark for the global cocoa market – was trading at $7,229 per metric tonne on November 4, up 177 per cent from December 31, 2020.
Cocoa prices reached historical highs of nearly $10,000 per metric tonne in March 2024, JP Morgan said in a report in April.
Behind the numbers
Commodities, such as gold, crude oil, wheat and aluminium are essential raw materials and unprocessed goods that can be consumed directly or processed and resold. They play a crucial role in various industries and are key components of the global economy.
Global commodity markets are going through an uncertain demand outlook, driven by stagnation in the Chinese economy, ambiguity surrounding the US Federal Reserve's stance on further interest rate cuts, and supply chain disruption due to geopolitical tensions such as the Israel-Gaza war and Russia-Ukraine war.
Almost all commodities are traded on the commodity exchanges in the form of derivatives, such as options and futures.
Derivatives provide investors with the opportunity to capitalise on the price movements of a commodity without the need to possess the actual physical commodity. It enables investors to speculate on the future value of a commodity, offering potential for profit through strategic trading strategies.
While commodities encompass a diverse array of assets, ranging from energy and agricultural products to precious and industrial metals, their prices are subject to fluctuations, influenced by factors such as production levels (supply) and business demand.
While most commodities are trading in negative territory over the past year, cocoa and coffee futures are among the exceptions, as data suggests.
So what has caused the futures prices of these two ubiquitous commodities to rise faster than that of gold?
“Cocoa's … and coffee's … YTD [year-to-date] rallies have baffled market participants," Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer, Century Financial, tells The National. "One of the major reasons for the continuing rally in [coffee] commodity prices is the dry weather in top producer Brazil … Similarly, another key producer, Vietnam, suffered a typhoon disaster damaging its key coffee acreage fields."
The recent price peaks of coffee futures, one of the world's most widely traded commodities, reflect this supply constraint. It also marks the culmination of a three-year period of elevated coffee prices, stemming from consecutive poor harvests in the world's top two coffee producers, Brazil (largest producer of Arabica coffee, the most common variety of coffee globally) and Vietnam (the largest Robusta coffee producer) due to adverse weather.
For cocoa beans, also referred to as cocoa, the situation is similar.
“The continuing cocoa rally can be attributed to poor weather affecting key harvesting areas in the largest cocoa growers, Ghana and Ivory Coast. It is further compounded by the fact that most critical acreage and production areas lack sound investment and surrounding infrastructure to withstand significant adverse weather impacts,” says Mr Valecha.
For cocoa prices, another factor behind the rally is the likely impact of new EU Deforestation Free Regulations from December this year.
“As per the proposed regulations, any beans imported to the EU (a region host to the top and highest-volume chocolate factories) must adhere to the new compliant rules. This is probably providing more tailwind and anchor support for the prices,” he explains.
In addition, structural headwinds to cocoa production, including insufficient investment in new trees and the widespread incidence of plant disease, have accumulated in West Africa over multiple seasons, Charles Hart, senior commodities analyst, BMI, a Fitch group company says.
However, while cocoa and coffee prices have outpaced gold in returns, the underlying drivers behind their market rally have been fundamentally opposite.
“Severe supply-side shortages have mired cocoa and coffee futures. Gold’s surge is principally demand-side driven – unprecedented central bank demand for gold, surging net speculative investor positioning, and expansion in bullion-backed ETFs [exchange-traded funds],” Ehsan Khoman, head of research – commodities, ESG and emerging markets research, MUFG Emea, tells The National.
When shine meets substance
The big question now: is investing in coffee and cocoa worth it for retail investors?
As tempting as it can be to splurge on coffee and cocoa futures, there are a few things to consider before investing in them, analysts caution.
First, it’s not as easy for a retail investor to participate in the market rally of coffee and cocoa prices, when compared with gold.
One can invest in cocoa and coffee commodities by buying individual stocks, ETFs, futures contracts or mutual funds that focus on them, but there is a caveat: while individual gold investors can purchase bars, coins, or jewellery, and stash them in a safety deposit box, this is not feasible in the case of perishable soft commodities, such as coffee and cocoa.
“It’s harder for retail investors to access the coffee and cocoa market rally compared to gold. Gold is very liquid and easy to invest in through channels like ETFs, physical gold, and futures, making it widely accessible to most investors,” says Mr Valecha.
In contrast, coffee and cocoa are more specialised markets with fewer direct options. “These commodities are primarily traded through futures, which are riskier and have an aggressive risk/return profile demanding more knowledge on the retail investor’s end,” he says.
Second, as Joshua Mahoney, chief market analyst, Scope Markets, explains, as with almost every soft commodity, coffee and cocoa futures rely less on market sentiment and economic activity for direction, “with price typically being driven by elements that might result in a bountiful or lacklustre harvest”.
Trading commodity futures can provide the opportunity to take advantage of any particular trend in the price of cocoa and coffee, “although it is advised to be well aware of any potential near-term volatility”, he cautions.
Investors seeking to jump on to the coffee or cocoa trend are likely to find it a less commonly served market, he adds.
“On one side, there are ETFs that seek to track the price of the commodity. However, those seeking single stocks can find it more difficult given the fact that companies selling the material may not be a producer.”
For example, someone seeking exposure to coffee may invest in Starbucks, however their profits may actually take a nosedive in the event of higher coffee prices if this rising cost is not passed on fully to the customer.
“Even if it is, they may experience lower demand as a result. Similarly, Hershey will likely become less profitable as cocoa prices rise, with many customers likely to substitute away from their product if the price rises by too much,” he explains.
Similarly, chocolate brands are grappling with the impact of higher cocoa costs, and many are passing on the burden to consumers in the form of price hikes, the JP Morgan report from April said.
Another way to gain exposure to the cocoa and coffee market is through CFDs (Contracts for Difference) – a derivative, similar to futures, but traded over the counter and not on exchange.
“CFDs allow traders to trade cocoa and coffee – long and short – and on leverage, so they do require the individual to have a higher risk tolerance and knowledge of markets,” Chris Weston, head of research, Pepperstone, tells The National.
“Given CFDs involve leverage – meaning you only put down a percentage of the full value as margin – they are really geared towards traders, who want to capture changes in price over a short-term time frame, but that really depends on the strategy the trader deploys.”
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Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
MEYDAN%20RACECARD
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E6pm%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EArabian%20Adventures%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(TB)%20Dh82%2C500%20(Dirt)%201%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E6.35pm%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEmirates%20Sky%20Cargo%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%2087%2C500%20(D)%202%2C000m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E7.10pm%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEmirates%20Holiday%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(TB)%20Dh82%2C500%20(D)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E7.45pm%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEmirates%20Skywards%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh87%2C500%20(D)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E8.20pm%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Emirates%20Airline%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh105%2C000%20(D)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E8.55pm%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEmirates%20Airline%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh105%2C000%20(D)%201%2C900m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E9.30pm%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEmirates.com%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB_%20Dh87%2C500%20(D)%201%2C200m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Pakistan World Cup squad
Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez(subject to fitness), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Junaid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain
Two additions for England ODIs: Mohammad Amir and Asif Ali
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Dubai Creek Open in numbers
- The Dubai Creek Open is the 10th tournament on this year's Mena Tour
- It is the first of five events before the season-concluding Mena Tour Championship
- This week's field comprises 120 players, 21 of which are amateurs
- 15 previous Mena Tour winners are competing at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The years Ramadan fell in May
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
The studios taking part (so far)
- Punch
- Vogue Fitness
- Sweat
- Bodytree Studio
- The Hot House
- The Room
- Inspire Sports (Ladies Only)
- Cryo
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The years Ramadan fell in May
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SPECS
Mini John Cooper Works Clubman and Mini John Cooper Works Countryman
Engine: two-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 306hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: JCW Clubman, Dh220,500; JCW Countryman, Dh225,500
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
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if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
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Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
Oppenheimer
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Race card
6.30pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
7.05pm: Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m
7.40pm: UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m
9.50pm: Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m
9.25pm: Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
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A Dog's Journey
Directed by: Gail Mancuso
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott
3 out of 5 stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
SPECS
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The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
more from Janine di Giovanni
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
The biog
Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology
Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India
Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur
How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993
Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters
Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo
