With Gulf economies poised for growth on the back of strong macroeconomic policies, regional stock markets are also set for growth. READ MORE HERE

With Gulf economies poised for growth on the back of strong macroeconomic policies, regional stock markets are also set for growth.

The two most liquid GCC markets – Dubai and Saudi Arabia – are both up well over 20% since the start of the year, with the Egyptian market also rising an astonishing 33%.  READ MORE HERE

It has been a massive quarter for stock markets around the world. The S&P 500 – arguably the most influential indicator of global stock market health – had its biggest quarter since 1998. In the first three months of 2012, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 8.1%, the S&P rose 12% and the Nasdaq advanced 19%. READ MORE HERE

Middle East markets had a phenomenal February. Find out which stocks performed outstandingly well, and which failed to get investors enthused. READ MORE HERE

Private equity, sovereign wealth funds and governments of food-importing countries are buying up land to secure food supplies. For good reason: farmland could generate returns of up to 30% annually. READ MORE HERE

Middle East markets had a phenomenal February. Find out which stocks performed outstandingly well, and which failed to get investors enthused.

February was the month when Middle East markets roared back to life.  READ MORE HERE

Why have regional capital inflows remained well below their 2007 levels, even though emerging markets have since investments surged since then? The IIF says there are four good reasons for the low inflows.

The Middle East North Africa’s capital inflows continue to languish after they peaked at a high of nearly USD150-billion in 2007. READ MORE HERE

arsalank2 /Foter

The year 2012 may not appear to be any better than 2011 as many businesses had hoped. A new update of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) World Economic Outlook, says global economy will rise 3.3% in 2012, a downward revision from 4% in its previous forecast.

Excluding Libya, MENA growth projections for 2012 and 2013 are set to be lower by -1.6 and -1.2 percentage points, respectively, than in the September 2011 WEO.  READ MORE HERE

The Middle East North Africa markets lost more than USD100-billion in 2011, according to Zawya’s market analysis tool.

Gulf markets alone lost USD52-billion, despite significant revenues generated by high crude prices during 2011, which kept the economies in great shape.

The Gulf states also benefited from economic packages unveiled by virtually all the six GCC states, but investors were more concerned about Arab Spring, geopolitical tensions, slow growth in the U.S. and a sovereign debt crisis in Europe to pay to much attention to domestic stimulus. READ MORE HERE

Deutsche Bank is bullish about next year, i.e. if Europe does not capitulate, the United States does not return to its poor growth and Asia does not suffer a hard landing.

In the eyes of Deutsche Bank analysts, Europe holds the key to global growth. Admittedly, this is slightly myopic thinking given that the world does not revolve around the EU. We have already seen the United States and Asia chug along even as Greece, Portugal, Spain and Italy imploded one after
the other. Perhaps that’s a natural home bias of all OECD banks. READ MORE HERE