What will happen
· The price of crude oil tips over the $100 a barrel marker
· The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), the planet’s largest Sovereign Wealth Fund and Mubadala, the emirate’s investment arm, increases its stake in Citigroup and Ferrari respectively and snaps up even more global assets in banking, retail, energy and iconic brands
· Bahrain commences work on a second causeway, this time between the Kingdom and the gas-rich emirate of Qatar
· As the cost of commercial rent rises and space becomes increasingly scarce due to a lack of supply, a number of large banks, telcos and global businesses leaves their traditionally successful Middle Eastern bases in favour of cheaper locations such as Bahrain and Qatar
· GCC Central Bank governers finally come to a decision over currency revaluation
· Emaar, builder of the world’s tallest tower the Burj Dubai, and its holding company, announces its intention to launch a US$40bn secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange in the summer – a move that places it in the UK FTSE’s top 25 companies
What might happen
· Qatar wins the rights to host the 2016 Olympic Games
· The Burj Dubai opens on time on New Year’s Eve 2009
· GCC Central Bank governers finally come to a decision over currency revaluation
· Serious consolidation takes place in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar with five heavyweight institutions emerging victorious
· Emirates Airline lists 20% to 30% of the company handing the Dubai International Financial Exchange the biggest boost in its short history.
· Other large UAE companies follow Emirates’ lead and also list locally. These include Nakheel, the developer behind Dubai’s trio of Palm projects and The World, aluminium giant Dubal and regional jewellery retailer Damas
· Talk of Gulf single currency scrapped
· After failing to snare Liverpool Football Club, Dubai finally scores a majority shareholding in a top-flight Premier League football team
What won’t happen
· World leaders come together to organise a day of mourning as George Bush leaves the White House
· Hilary Clinton becomes President
· Hotel production grinds to a halt due to lack of tourists
· Sir Richard Branson granted UAE citizenship
· Customer service improves across Gulf restaurants
· Umm Al Qwain begins work on a metro system
· GCC Central Bank governers finally come to a decision over currency revaluation
· Iranian Islamic Republic president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad duets with Chris de Burgh on his hit song Lady in Red in the country’s capital of Tehran.
· Ahmadinejad promptly deports de Burgh and re-records the ballad, claiming it be his own
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