Featured Saudi Arabia
Saudi mortgage law effect
| November 21, 2012
An 83.4% jump
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Gulf Archive
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s record loan growth
| November 19, 2012
The Saudi banking sector is marching forward, shrugging off global fiscal challenges facing the rest of the world.
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Kuwait
Kuwait’s Canadian Move
| September 3, 2012
Report of Kuwaiti interest in Canadian oil sands companies highlights the treasure trove of oil riches in the North American country.
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Featured Qatar
USD76Bn Of Gulf Debt Set To Mature By 2014
| September 3, 2012
More than USD76-billion of bond and sukuk debt is expected to mature by 2014, according to Kuwait Financial Centre ( Markaz ) research.
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Kuwait
Kuwait’s Semi-Democracy
| September 3, 2012
The failed Kuwait-Dow Chemical mega deal is regarded as one of the biggest examples of how the Kuwaiti parliament has hindered the country's economic progress.
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Saudi Banks: 13 Key Trends
| September 3, 2012
The Saudi banking sector put up a strong performance in the first half of the year, driven by higher trading fees, strong lending and non-interest income, especially in
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Featured UAE
DIFC’s Opportunity
| September 3, 2012
With major financial centres reeling from global turmoil, Dubai once again has a chance to attract the emerging economies' burgeoning financial services sector.
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Featured UAE
Rise of Arab Social Media
| September 3, 2012
The UAE has more than a million LinkedIn users, Egypt has a quarter of the region's Facebook users and the most popular for Twitter was Bahrain, according to
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Featured UAE
UAE’s Twin Masterstrokes
| September 3, 2012
The UAE has once again demonstrated impressive strategic thinking with the launch of a new oil pipeline that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz and the construction of the
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Featured UAE
MENA ICT Indicators
| September 3, 2012
Gulf states stand out in regional ICT subscriptions, but data shows there is still tremendous scope for greater broadband and Internet penetration across the region.
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Middle East’s top banks
| September 3, 2012
The Middle East banking sector put up a strong showing in the list of the World's Top 1,000 Banks
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Kuwait
NBK Chief Ibrahim Dabdoub’s Frustration
| July 22, 2012
Ibrahim Dabdoub's criticism of Kuwait's economic malaise highlights the banking sector's frustration over lack of government reforms and lethargic private sector growth.
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Featured Saudi Arabia
New Saudi Mortgage Law: An Analysis
| July 15, 2012
While analysts are focused on the lack of short-term benefits of the new Saudi mortgage law, the Saudi government believes it is the start of a new financial
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Is Saudi Tadawul Ready For Foreign Funds?
| July 14, 2012
Can Saudi Arabia's Tadawul market withstand foreign investor scrutiny? More so than most other regional markets, says Al Rajhi Capital.
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Featured UAE
UAE Banking Worries Overdone?
| July 14, 2012
Public sector lending limits may not be good news for Emirates NBD and National Bank of Abu Dhabi, says SICO, but worries over the UAE banking sector's health
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Kuwait
Cash-Rich Gulf’s Financing Challenge
| July 14, 2012
As the EU crisis worsens, GCC banks are likely to face a higher demand for corporate loans as capital market liquidity tightens....
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Featured UAE
Gulf States’ Budget Breakeven Oil Price Declines
| July 14, 2012
Breakeven oil prices for Saudi Arabia and the UAE decline for the first time in years, according to Deutsche Bank, which is great news for the GCC, especially
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia Among World’s Largest Arms Spenders
| July 14, 2012
Middle East states are the biggest military spenders in the world as a percentage of their GDP, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the world's eighth biggest spender on
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Featured UAE
EU Crisis Is Souring Dubai’s Bouyant Mood
| June 30, 2012
From a vertigo-inducing high earlier in the year, the Dubai Financial Market index has come crashing down. At its height this year, the market was up 31% but
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Macroeconomic Data
ME’s Great Gas Slowdown: IEA
| June 30, 2012
The Middle East's natural gas production will be a victim of low prices and lack of focus over the next five years, leading to a slowdown in output,
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Saudi demographic challenge
| June 30, 2012
The Saudi population is expected to grow by nearly 50% over the next decade. This is both a challenge and an opportunity and key to the government's long-term
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Egypt
Stunning Pictures of Egyptian Pyramids & Dubai Jumeirah By AirPano
| May 29, 2012
The AirPano team could not have picked a worst time to visit Cairo for their photo panoramas and filming project.
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Featured Qatar
Rivals Threaten Qatar’s LNG Lead
| May 29, 2012
TweetQatar has ruled the liquefied natural gas (LNG) world for the past few years, but it will see the market flooded with new rivals eager to sign up
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Kuwait
Qatar, Kuwait & UAE’s Ecological Footprint Biggest in World: WWF
| May 29, 2012
Here's a list Qatar would not want to top: The World Wild Life Fund (WWF) has ranked Qatar as the country with the largest ecological footprint per capita
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Bahrain
9 key points from the GCC Summit
| May 29, 2012
TweetThe timing could not have been more inconvenient. In the week Gulf leaders met to discuss ways to create a more unified group, similar to an ‘EU model’,
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Bahrain
WEF: How Trade-Friendly Is The Middle East?
| May 29, 2012
Gulf economies, led by the UAE, have fared quite well in a World Economic Forum focused on world's trade-friendliness and access to global markets.
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Africa
$17-Bn MENA Solar Power Projects to Fire Up Renewables Drive
| May 29, 2012
It's such a waste: enough sunlight reaches the earth in 90 minutes to provide the entire planet's need for one year, according to the International Energy Agency.
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Facebook Fatwas: Saudi Clerics On Social Media
| May 13, 2012
"Perhaps the modern technology, satellite TV and new media, are appropriate environment for the (marginalized)," tweeted Salman Al-Oudah on Tuesday.
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Kuwait
A Kuwaiti Resurgence
| May 13, 2012
Virtually all of Kuwait's key macroeconomic indicators are pointing upwards. But political wranglings could rein in growth once again
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Saudi Net Foreign Assets At $600-Billion: Jadwa
| April 26, 2012
A Jadwa Investment press statement notes that Saudi Arabia's net foreign assets rose by a little more than $100-billion to reach $600-billion by the end of 2011, according
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Featured UAE
Projects: Dubai beats Abu Dhabi
| April 24, 2012
Dubai awarded more projects than Abu Dhabi for the first time since the fourth quarter of 2008. Dubai entities awarded USD1.8-billion of new projects compared to the UAE
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Bahrain
Risks Rising In Bahrain
| April 24, 2012
While Middle East oil exporters could see a 4.8% GDP growth this year, Bahrain would be lucky to eke out a 2%increase this year, according to the International
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Egypt
Can Gulf stock markets maintain momentum?
| April 24, 2012
With Gulf economies poised for growth on the back of strong macroeconomic policies, regional stock markets are also set for growth.
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Markets
Where To Invest In The Middle East: Bank of America Merrill Lynch
| April 8, 2012
With Gulf economies poised for growth on the back of strong macroeconomic policies, regional stock markets are also set for growth.
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Featured Qatar
Gulf Emerges As Global Sweet Spot
| April 8, 2012
Nobody even considered looking at MENA states last year, as news of Arab Spring-related crisis, instability and the Iran conflict dominated the headlines.
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Is Saudi Arabia’s Growth Jobless?
| April 8, 2012
It will be no mean feat to outpace Qatar's amazing GDP growth, but that's exactly what Saudi Arabia is estimated to accomplish in 2012.
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Gulf’s USD29 Billion Electricity Bill
| April 8, 2012
Gulf states are expected to spend USD29-billion over the next two years on their electricity infrastructure, according to ratings agency Moody's Investors Services.
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Can Saudi Tadawul Index’s Blistering Growth Last?
| March 26, 2012
There is limited upside to the Saudi rally, according to Jadwa Investment, but EFG-Hermes expects a further 15% growth before the end of the year, with a second
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Featured UAE
UAE Economy Top Regional Pick For Barclays Capital
| March 26, 2012
Barclays Capital picks Dubai as the best risk/reward play in the region. But while the outlook is optimistic, corporates will continue to feel the pain.
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Bahrain
Arcapita’s 50 New Creditors
| March 26, 2012
A list of institutions the bankrupt firm owes shows the Central Bank of Bahrain is the biggest Arcapita creditor. Other major lenders include Riyad Bank and Mashreq.
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Featured UAE
Dubai Tops Region In Citibank’s Global Hot Spots
| March 19, 2012
Dubai emerges as the region's hot spot in an EIU survey on the world's most competitive cities. But, overall, the region's metropolises' fared poorly in the list.
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Featured UAE
UAE Moves Closer To Energy-Hungry Asia
| March 19, 2012
UAE-South Korea trade is expected to rise 21% this year, as hydrocarbons-rich Gulf states move closer to energy-hungry Asian markets.
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Egypt & MENA
Middle East’s USD15-Billion SME Opportunity
| March 19, 2012
Around 11 million SMEs remain unserved or underserved in the Middle East, presenting a massive USD15-billion opportunity for the banking industry
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Top Ten Middle East Stocks In February
| March 19, 2012
Middle East markets had a phenomenal February. Find out which stocks performed outstandingly well, and which failed to get investors enthused.
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Bahrain
What If Oil Prices Drop Suddenly?: The GCC Dilemma, As Imagined By Citibank
| March 12, 2012
Barclays Capital expects GCC economies to rise 5.4% this year, but Citibank worries that a sudden drop in oil prices could leave the states with a dilemma: whether
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Forbes Billionaires’ List: Middle East’s Richest Lost Big Last Year
| March 12, 2012
Middle East's 30 richest people collectively lost USD5-billion, according to Forbes data. In all, sixteen billionaires lost part of their fortunes last year. Find out who lost and
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Saudis Hope To Find 100 Billion New Barrels Of Oil
| March 8, 2012
Saudi Arabia is exploring for 100 billions of new barrels to retain its influence in world oil markets.
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Featured Qatar
Middle East’s Best Performing Stocks
| March 8, 2012
Middle East markets had a phenomenal February. Find out which stocks performed outstandingly well, and which failed to get investors enthused.
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Featured Saudi Arabia
OPEC Shia-Sunni Split?
| March 8, 2012
Chatham House says OPEC may be heading for a Shia-Sunni split, but it appears to have discounted the group's enduring powers and its resilience despite wars and severe
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Featured UAE
Why So Low?: Capital Inflows In Middle East
| March 8, 2012
TweetWhy 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
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Featured Qatar
Which Country Will Suffer Most If Strait Of Hormuz Is Blocked?
| February 26, 2012
Which regional companies and countries stand to lose in the event that Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz? Ratings agency Standard & Poor's takes a look
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Featured UAE
Guess The Best Performing Gulf Market?
| February 26, 2012
While investors were looking elsewhere, Dubai and other Gulf markets have been staging an impressive rally. What's this: a Gulf stock market racking up double-digit growth in the
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Macroeconomic Data
Dubai’s Property Pain: 15-20% Drop In Prices Again This Year, Says Rasmala
| February 17, 2012
While Dubai's economic environment is improving rapidly, the real estate sector is likely to go through more pain and fall by a further 15-20% before bottoming out, says
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Featured Qatar
S&P: Which Middle East Companies & Countries Will Suffer If Strait of Hormuz Is Blocked?
| February 17, 2012
It's a crisis that won't go away. While the region is no stranger to Israelis and Iranians trading insults and threats, Tel Aviv's latest hue and cry over
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s SR270B Project Pipeline
| February 17, 2012
Saudi Arabia launched projects worth SAR270-billion last year. No wonder there is a shortage of cement. Expect more shortages as the construction boom kicks off in earnest.
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Featured Qatar
Most Trusted Middle East Banks
| February 12, 2012
Tweet Thirty-three Middle East banks are among 500 of the world’s most trusted banks, according to a new study. READ MORE HERE
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Featured Qatar
Putting The USD250M Qatari Painting Purchase In Perspective
| February 5, 2012
Nobody can complain that Qatar does not look after its citizens. Or that its rulers are not leading the once-backwater of the region to unprecedented growth, almost defying
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Featured Qatar
12 Qatar Highlights From IMF Report
| February 2, 2012
In the eyes of the International Monetary Fund, the greatest risk facing Qatar is a worsening of global liquidity and financing conditions.
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Saudi Banking Sector Q4 Results Are A Mixed Bag
| January 26, 2012
Unlike the global financial services industry, the Saudi banking sector remains in great shape and it is only expected to go from strength to strength as the government
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Egypt
500 New Hotels Under Construction In The Middle East
| January 26, 2012
Close to 500 new hotels - or 496 to be exact - are being built in the Middle East Africa region, according to STR Global, the hospitality consultancy.
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Egypt
Riyadh And Jeddah Are Second And Third Fastest Growing Cities In World
| January 22, 2012
Riyadh and Jeddah had a stellar 2010-2011, clocking the second and third highest growth rates in the world according to The Brookings Institution's 2011 Global MetroMonitor.
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Featured UAE
Abu Dhabi, Why So Austere?
| January 21, 2012
TweetIn the context of the region, the UAE and especially Abu Dhabi, was the proverbial safe haven along with Qatar. While it was not a great year by
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Featured UAE
Dubai Had A Good 2011, But Can It Have A Great 2012?
| January 21, 2012
TweetAlthough Dubai has seen a pick up in its economy with tourists and hotel occupancy on the up and external trade much improved, it has not yet reflected
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s Balancing Act
| January 21, 2012
While publicly Saudi Arabia may not like Iran's warning that the Kingdom should not make up for lost Tehran oil production, privately the Kingdom won't mind as that
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Macroeconomic Data
100 Largest Economies By 2050: HSBC
| January 15, 2012
TweetJanuary 15, 2012 A year after HSBC released its 2050 report which estimated that Egypt would surpass Saudi Arabia as the largest economy in the Middle East, the
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Saudi Spending To Exceed 2012 Budget, But Surplus Likely: Fitch
| January 8, 2012
Spending by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2012 will likely be higher than budgeted, but the country will still run a fiscal surplus of 4% of GDP,
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Featured UAE
Where Are The World’s Best Skylines?
| January 3, 2012
Dubai has the seventh best skyline in the world, according to Emporis, the respected consultancy that specialises in skyscrapers across the world.
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Featured Qatar
OPEC Outlook: Oil’s Not Well
| December 18, 2011
Opec countries will rake in $900-billion this year. But these outstanding figures mask great turmoil facing group members in the next few
years.
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Bahrain
MENA 2012 Outlook: Oil Exporting Countries
| December 18, 2011
In the first part of the 2012 regional economic prospects, a look at oil-rich countries' efforts to manage their citizens' expectations, economic slowdown and regional and domestic political
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Egypt
MENA Projects: Saudi Arabia Still the Driving Force; UAE Slowdown Continues
| December 13, 2011
In October this year, $16.9bn of projects were awarded across MENA. On a cumulative basis, just over $82bn of projects have been awarded across the region in the
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Africa
SPECIAL COMMENT: The Arab Spring Could Turn Into A Long And Cruel Winter
| December 13, 2011
Due to a host of common denominators in the Arab world including the lack of traditional liberalism, the tribes' power, the elites' control of business, the hold on
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Featured Qatar
MSCI Dec 14 Decision On UAE & Qatar On Knife-Edge
| December 11, 2011
EFG-Hermes believes an MSCI upgrade of UAE and Qatar exchanges to emerging market status is unlikely but not impossible. If the upgrade does happen, both markets could tap
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Featured Qatar
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE are among the world’s 25 Rapid Growth Markets: Ernst & Young
| November 30, 2011
Qatar had the highest nominal GDP (US$) per capita at PPP in 2010 among the 25 RGMs and has also been the fastest growing economy over the last
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UAE
Gulf Should Prepare For EU Meltdown
| November 30, 2011
Tweet Davide “Dodo” Oliva /Foter The UAE bank governor says it’s not planning for a crisis in the European Union. But with the EU economy heading for a
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Africa
An Economic Model For Arab Spring Countries: UAE, Turkey, Malaysia Or Indonesia?
| November 20, 2011
Kuwait's Finance Minister warns that the state's rising wages and subsidies bill could lead to the devaluation of the dinar and compel the state to sell off assets
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Kuwait
Kuwait’s Unsustainable Spending Could Lead To ‘Shocks': Minister
| November 20, 2011
Kuwait's Finance Minister warns that the state's rising wages and subsidies bill could lead to the devaluation of the dinar and compel the state to sell off assets
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Featured Qatar
Will 2011 Be The Best Year For Gulf Banks?
| November 20, 2011
While their global counterparts slash and burn, Gulf banks are collectively set for their best year - ever -- according to KAMCO.
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Featured UAE
Unlocking Abu Dhabi’s Pent-Up Demand
| November 20, 2011
From a position of chronic under-supply, the Abu Dhabi real estate market is suddenly oversupplied, which is hurting developers, banks and the end investors
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Featured Qatar
Top Gulf Stock Picks By United Securities
| November 17, 2011
Tweet whsaito /Foter Muscat-based United Securities has turned cautiously optimistic on the recent developments by global markets to contain the debt crises and on the back of better than
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Bahrain
$25Bn Gulf Debt Maturities In 2012 Pose Risk: S&P
| November 17, 2011
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said today that issuers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries face rising refinancing risks over the next three years because the amount
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Bahrain
Arab Spring: A New Era In A Transforming Globe
| November 10, 2011
The Arab uprising must be seen as an integral part of a world in transformation. The technological and informational revolutions that have spurred (and continue to spur) globalization
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Ten OPEC Forecasts
| November 9, 2011
Read the ten major forecasts from Opec's latest World Oil Outlook, ranging from the challenges and prospects for oil developers to the intense competition they will face over
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Featured Saudi Arabia
The World’s Most Powerful Arabs: A Forbes List
| November 5, 2011
Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz is the sixth most powerful Arab in the world, according to Forbes list of 70 Most Powerful People. Who else from the MidEast
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Featured Saudi Arabia
9 Challenges Facing The New Crown Prince Of Saudi Arabia
| October 30, 2011
Saudi Prince Nayef has to contend with a number of challenges as he takes over as the Crown Prince of the Kingdom, from trouble on his eastern and
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Featured UAE
How Safe Is Your Sovereign Debt?
| October 24, 2011
While Dubai continues to remain in the list of the ten riskiest 'sovereigns' in CMA Datavision's quarterly update, Abu Dhabi is now seen as among the ten safest
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Featured Saudi Arabia
RT Video: Allegations Against Iran - ‘Murder Plot Bizarre Comedy Show’
| October 16, 2011
The allegations against two Iranians soliciting a Mexican drug cartel to assasinate the Saudi Ambassador to the United States has been received with widespread skepticism
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Featured UAE
Why Buying Dubai Debt Is A Good Idea: Analysts
| October 16, 2011
Dubai has come a long way in a short period of time. From being shunned by investors after it infamously requested a debt standstill from creditors in November
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Iran-Saudi Tensions Escalate After Alleged Assasination Attempt
| October 12, 2011
The alleged involvement of Iranians in a plot to kill the Saudi ambassador in the United States adds another layer of uncertainty in the region and escalation of
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Macroeconomic Data
SPECIAL COMMENT: Is A Recession Priced In?
| October 12, 2011
"As per the Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI), the U.S. economy has already entered a new recession and it is going to get a lot worse."
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UAE
Consumer Confidence Dips In UAE
| October 9, 2011
The survey revealed that 62% feel that the current salary is not in line with the cost of living, with 33% stating buying consumer durables is not practical
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Featured Saudi Arabia
No Saudi Real Estate Boom, Only A Slow Burn
| October 9, 2011
The Saudi real estate sector has not exactly gone gangbusters. When the Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud announced in March a number of measures to stimulate
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Featured Saudi Arabia
Is The Saudi Government (Unwittingly) Undermining Nitaqat?
| October 9, 2011
While the new Saudi nationalisation programme has great merits, the state's coddling of public sector employees means the private sector is finding it hard to attract
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Featured Qatar
China’s Hard Landing Will Hurt Middle East Economic Prospects
| October 9, 2011
The EU and the US economies are not the only headaches for Middle East economies. China's faltering economy could also hurt the region's growth prospects
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Featured Qatar
EFG Positive On Q3 Earnings; Expects Q4 Market Rally; No UAE-Qatar MSCI Upgrade Though
| October 2, 2011
The regional stock markets may be sending negative signals, but the Middle East listed companies are expected to see a 38% rise in earnings in the third compared
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Oil
$525-Billion Energy Capital Investments In MENA By 2016: Apicorp
| October 2, 2011
The Arab Petroleum Investment Corporation (Apicorp) expects MENA energy capital investment to reach $525-billion over the next five years
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Kuwait
Kuwait To Launch $3-Billion Healthcare Projects By Next Year
| October 2, 2011
TweetThe Kuwaiti healthcare sector offers tremendous opportunities, given the rising population and an under-explored healthcare sector that’s largely driven by the public sector. The government is keen for
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Bahrain
The Middle East’s 10 Most Expensive Retail Locations
| September 28, 2011
Middle East retail rents staganted in the 2010/11 period which ended in June, according to research consultants Cushman & Wakefield (C&W;).
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Bahrain
Outlook For UAE Darkens; Gulf Not Immune Either: Deutsche Bank
| September 25, 2011
The UAE which is more aligned than other regional states to global economic cycles, saw its PMI fall from 57.5 in April to 51.0 in July, suggesting
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Qatar
What Do Young People in the Gulf Think?: BAH Study
| September 25, 2011
A Booz Allen Hamilton report surveys 415 young nationals aged 15 to 24 in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar to get a sample of what the youth
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Saudi Arabia
A victory for Saudi women thanks to Arab Spring
| September 25, 2011
King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, widely known as a reformer in Saudi Arabia, took another bold step in Saudi Arabia by allowing women to compete and vote
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