US financial giant Citigroup told its staff to evacuate offices in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Dubai's Oud Metha neighbourhood, a memo sent to employees which was seen by Reuters shows, telling them to work from home until further notice. A spokesperson for the bank said it was continuing to take measures to keep staff safe and had contingency plans in place to ensure business continuity. Separately, HSBC has closed all branches in Qatar until further notice, according to a customer notice, saying the measure was to ensure the safety of staff and customers. Hoornweg declined to comment via a bank spokesperson. "The safety of our colleagues and customers remain our top priority," HSBC said in a statement on Wednesday in relation to its Dubai-based staff.

Source: The Edge Markets March 11, 2026 15:47 UTC