Emaar Properties, a leading developer based in Dubai, UAE, will launch the initial public offer of its shopping malls and retailing unit on September 14, and will list the subsidiary on Dubai's main stock market on October 2, the company said.

The offer would be one of the largest equity sales in the Middle East since 2008, underlining Dubai's recovery from a credit crisis that forced many state-linked developers to stall projects, and some - though not Emaar - to restructure debt.

The malls unit's IPO will be divided into two tranches, one for retail investors and one for institutions. Both will open on September 14, when Emaar will announce the share price range for the sale.

The final price will be determined through a book-building process. The retail offer will close on September 24 and the institutional offer on September 26, Emaar said in a statement.

It aims to allocate at least 60 per cent of the shares on offer to institutions and no more than 40 per cent to retail investors. It will sell at least a 15 percent stake in the malls unit through the IPO.

The malls unit has a net asset value of Dh33.2 billion ($9 billion), the statement said. - Reuters