alifarabia
Bahrain
After Losing $33B in H1, Gulf Markets Hope For Better Second Half
Tweet Gulf markets have lagged other global emerging and developed markets for years. Even as the S&P 500 and other emerging market indices rescaled their pre-Lehman levels, Gulf markets have stayed listless, drifting lower and lower until they have plumbed new depths. But have the markets finally bottomed out? With the Gulf economies seeing major … Continue reading
30% drop in Bahrain real estate points to a larger problem
Like the rest of the economy, Bahrain real estate sector has suffered on account of the country’s political and social unrest Continue reading
Dubai Among 10 Sovereigns Most Likely To Default
Gulf states saw their default risks subside considerably during the second quarter as investors shrugged off the Arab Spring and focused on the troubled EU states Continue reading
No Arab Spring Dividends For The Middle East?
TweetThe Arab World’s tryst with democracy and freedom is unlikely to bear economic fruits, according to a study. Instead, we could well see a gridlock political environment and economic growth that continues to lag global averages. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) insightful study on how the Arab Spring initiative is likely to play out, suggests … Continue reading
Cast Your Vote In Arab Spring Awards
TweetSpring is nearly six months old. It is time to take stock, remember those who lost their lives and continue to fight, and hand out some well-deserved awards to the key players. The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, asked the rhetorical question ‘What Country Handled Arab Spring The Best? His own answer: Morocco. But … Continue reading
High-Spending Gulf In Dilemma As Opec Loses Relevance
With Opec seemingly irrelevant, the GCC is trying to find a balance between responsible crude suppliers and their own domestic needs Continue reading
Saudi-Led GCC Aims to Spread Regional Influence
TweetThe potential inclusion of Morocco and Jordan in the GCC fold should be taken for what it is – a political move by the Gulf states to widen their sphere of influence in the region. There is, of course, nothing wrong with it. The United States has done it with NAFTA, the EU has been … Continue reading
Middle East Countries Fall In Peace Index
TweetQatar, which has been beating its regional rival on economic performance, has also won the title of the most peaceful country in the Middle East North Africa region. The Institute of Economics & Peace, bestowed the number one regional ranking to Qatar in its annual Global Peace Index (GPI) 2011. READ MORE HERE Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
$1.6T Middle East Projects Are Delayed Or Cancelled: Citibank
TweetClose to $1.6-trillion worth of projects are cancelled or are on hold in the Middle East and East North African market, with $800-billion in the UAE alone, according to Citibank. The statistics are a reflection of the hangover of the leveraged days in the region when billion dollar projects were announced virtually every other day. … Continue reading
Gulf Plus: The GCC Looks To Expand Its Sphere Of Influence
TweetJordan and Morocco’s possible inclusion in the Gulf is a political move rather than an economic one, but there might be other - unlikely - candidates in the region far suitable for the purpose. The potential inclusion of Morocco and Jordan in the GCC fold should be taken for what it is - a political … Continue reading
Survey: Revival & Reach of Islamic Finance
TweetBy Rushdi Siddiqui, Global Head, Islamic Finance & OIC Countries Thomson Reuters It’s polling time once again in Islamic finance, but, today, we survey two major developments: Arab revolution and death of Osama Bin Laden (OBL), and examine the consequences, if any, on Islamic finance on the Maghreb and anti-Shariah countries. Interestingly, the million-dollar mansion … Continue reading
Middle East States’ Foreign Assets To Hit $2.2 Trillion By Year End: IIF
TweetThe Arab World’s foreign assets will rise to a stunning $2.2-trillion this year, says the IIF. But the key to growth in the region will not be financial resources but structural reforms, otherwise tensions will remain. Read More Here Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Japan quake and China hard landing to impact Gulf trade flow
TweetWith Japan shaken by the quake and China looking at hard landing, the Gulf’s two largest partners are going through a tumultuous period, which could impact their trade flows with the GCC. Read More Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
S&P negative outlook on U.S. credit is a mixed bag for Middle East
TweetRatings agencies have an uncanny knack of turning up at morgues and pronouncing the death of the deceased, so it should have been no surprise that Standard & Poor’s did the ‘unthinkable’ and downgraded the United States’ long-term outlook to negative from stable. Read More Here Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Gulf States Have World’s Lowest Corporate Tax Regimes
TweetMost Gulf states offer some of the lowest tax rates to Forbes 2000 companies. But is there a link between the trouble in other Middle East states and their tax rates? Read More Here Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Middle East Sovereign Debtors Seen As Among Riskiest By Global Investors
TweetSaudi Arabia is no longer in the list of the ten safest sovereign debtors in the world, meanwhile Lebanon, Iraq, Dubai and Egypt all find themselves in the list of ten riskiest sovereign debtors, according to new data. Read More Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Saudi and Opec breakeven oil prices are rising at worrying levels
Tweet Saudi Arabia needs oil prices to remain at $83 to $ 88 a barrel to breakeven - almost double of what it was three years ago. Rising breakeven prices means less fiscal cushion, leaving Saudi Arabia vulnerable to fluctuations in oil prices. Read More Here Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
What Were The Middle East’s Best And Worst Performing Stocks In Q1?
TweetWhat were the MENA region’s best performing stocks in the first quarter - more importantly, which were the worst that burnt investors, including one that fell 99.02% in the quarter? Read More Here Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Gold Reserves of Middle East & North Africa Governments
TweetSaudi Arabia’s gold reserves dwarf Libya’s hordings. Here is a selected list of countries with the biggest gold reserves, including almost every Middle East nation. Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Dubai Tourism Gets A Boost, But Egypt and Bahrain Will Struggle This Year: Citibank
TweetDubai’s economy may benefit as international visitors choose the safe-haven emirate over other troubled regional tourist destinations, notes Citibank. But Egypt and Bahrain will suffer from poor growth. The UAE may benefit from the unrest in other parts of the Middle East, according to Citibank, with Dubai set to grow 5% this year and at … Continue reading
Standard Chartered’s Gulf Debt Outlook & Dubai Concerns
TweetThe GCC has around $40bn of debt coming due each year over the next five years, says Standard Chartered Bank (SCB). Plus a chart that neatly shows SCB’s forecasts returns on each country’s bonds. Read More Here Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Qatar Catching Up To Dubai As Middle East Financial Centre Rivalry Heats Up
TweetDubai retains its position as the regional financial centre, but Doha is fast catching up as an alternative centre, according to the latest survey of global financial service managers. But Both are losing to Asian rivals. Read More Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Brace for funds flowing out of Bahrain
TweetThe Middle East crisis will see capital flowing out of the region, especially the vulnerable financial hub of Bahrain, according to a poll. Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Japan’s Nuclear Crisis Is Boon For Middle East Energy
TweetAs Japan’s nuclear meltdown puts the brakes on yet another power source, the world is looking at ME energy to fill the gap. Luckily, there is plenty coming on line, despite the region’s shot-term problems. Read More Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
EFG-Hermes’ Insightful Heat Map On Middle East’s Problems
TweetRead why EFG-Hermes is worried about Omani and Bahraini growth. And the bank’s insightful regional heat map that neatly highlights problem areas. Read the full story here Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Gulf’s ‘Marshall Plan’ Blues
TweetJust when analysts were giving up on a truly unified GCC, the six states have closed ranks with the unmistakable presence of Saudi tanks and soldiers on Bahraini soil. Read More Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Top 5 Middle East Oil Projects
TweetTake a look at five of the largest oil projects in the Middle East, including one that could alleviate much of Bahrain’s economic problems… Read More Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
How Much Wealth Do Arab Rulers Control Directly?
TweetThe rulers and royal families of the Arab World directly control more than $240-billion of investments in publicly-listed firms, surpassing SWF and government institutions, according to data. Read More Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Reforms Are Need Of The Hour, Not Stimulus Packages
TweetQuantitative easing and stimulus packages in the Gulf region are not enough if they are not backed by a healthy dose of social and political reforms. Read More Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Why Bahrain Matters
TweetIn many ways, the Bahrain protests are even more worrisome than that of Egypt and Tunisia, as any significant changes to Bahrain’s political structure can upset the status quo in the Gulf. Read More Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Growth Retraction Fears in Middle East
TweetAs events in Egypt change faster than you can update them on Twitter or Facebook, regional authorities are looking at the short-term and long-term impact of the crisis on their own economies. Read More Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Where’s the next Tunisia?
TweetWhich countries are ‘ripe for a revolution’ and is there a likelihood that the people of the Arab World will be able to shake the very foundations of the region’s autocracy, monarchy and dictatorships that rule their fates? Read More Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
Risky Sovereigns
TweetQuestion: Which Middle East ‘country’ is most likely to default? Clue: It is not Iraq or Lebanon! Read More Share this:ShareEmailPrintFacebookStumbleUponDiggReddit
MENA Business Feed From Zawya
- Mubaraks To Be Tried In CairoMubarak, who resigned in February, has been under arrest in a hospital in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, where he receives treatment for a heart condition. […]
- Dubai DFM 2Q Net Pft -46% As Trading Commissions FallDFM recorded total revenue of AED64.59 million in the second quarter, down 6.5% from AED69.09 million a year earlier. […]
- Lebanon Byblos Bank 1H Net Profit Up 16% At $83.97M Vs Yr AgoTotal assets stood at $16.5 billion at the end of June, up 8.2% from $15.3 billion at the end of 2010, the bank said in a statement. […]