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Rushdi Siddiqui: Interview with Daud Vicary Abdullah, CEO of Inceif(0) By Rushdi Siddiqui Daud Vicary Abdullah is an authority on Islamic banking and has contributed to a number of books on the subject. He has been in the finance and consulting industry for more than 38 years, with significant experience in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Meet Daud Vicary Abdullah, the president and CEO of International Centre of Education in Islamic Finance (Inceif), the global university of Islamic finance. |
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Gulf Emerges As Global Sweet Spot(0) 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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Middle East’s USD15-Billion SME Opportunity(0) Around 11 million SMEs remain unserved or underserved in the Middle East, presenting a massive USD15-billion opportunity for the banking industry. READ MORE HERE |
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S&P: Which Middle East Companies & Countries Will Suffer If Strait of Hormuz Is Blocked?(0) 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 Iran’s nuclear ambition refuses to die down. Recent bombing attacks on Israeli embassies in New Dehli, Tbilisi (Georgia) and Bangkok was blamed on Iran - claims denied by Tehran - have frayed nerves and the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did nothing to soothe them by attending an event that highlighted Iran’s “nuclear achievements” on Wednesday. |
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Top 25 Middle East Transportation Projects(0)
Transportation is a key consumer of global energy supplies and will increase its share in the future, thanks to rising populations and greater demands for mobility via air, land and sea. Globally, transportation soaks up a third of all energy supplies and is set to grow from 80% to 130% as the number of cars quadruple to nearly three billion by 2050. READ MORE HERE |
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500 New Hotels Under Construction In The Middle East(0)
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. These hotels will feature 133,438 rooms, according to the consultancy, with Dubai leading the way with 13,349 rooms under construction. READ MORE HERE |
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Worst Performing MENA Stocks in 2011(0) 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
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UAE Macroeconomic Analysis Report(0)
UAE Macroeconomic Analysis Report The USD350 UAE Macroeconomic Analysis Report, examines the prospects for the Middle East’s most dyanmic ad diversified economy. The country is poised for growth over the next few years, but also faces significant economic challenges as it looks to revive key sectors such as real estate and tourism. The independent study on the UAE examines all the key issues that could shape the future of the emirate: including Dubai’s debt issues, Abu Dhabi’s prudent approach towards federal and emirate-level development, unemployment issues, domestic business climate and key regulations that could unlock new opportunities for new businesses and investors in the country. AlifArabia’s report provides the following: Country Risk Economic Forecasts Key Economic Indicators Population & Demographics Key Sector Breakdown Key Regulations & Laws Impacting Businesses Setting Up A Business Corruption & Transparency Index Latest News Developments & Projections Key Government Ministries In addition, you get the following BENEFITS: FREE UAE Country Report Update After 5 Months HALF-PRICE For One UAE Sector Of Your Choice: Choose from Oil & Gas Sector, Banking & Finance Sector, Water & Power Sector, Construction & Real Estate Sector, IT & Telecom Sector, Tourism & Aviation Sector, Education Sector and Healthcare Sector Weekly Alifarabia.com Newsletter for FREE, including articles on UAE economy FREE White labelling of report: Send your company logo to aa@alifarabia.com to convert our report into your own report. This is especially suitable for company presentations to your clients, board meetings and internal research. WHY DO I GET MY REPORT AFTER 48 HOURS? You may be thinking why you have to wait 48 hours to get the report? The truth is that we don’t create off-the-shelf reports like everybody else. We constantly update the reports and once we get an order, we will go over the entire research to ensure we have the most up-to-date information which you can be certain is current to the day you receive it.This is yards better than a report that’s sitting on the virtual shelf for six months. Plus, we are a small team looking after lots of orders - but we make up for it by being excellent, diligent and thorough with our research. |
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Where Are The World’s Best Skylines?(0) Dubai has the seventh best skyline in the world, according to Emporis, the respected consultancy that specialises in skyscrapers across the world. The emirate was the only Middle Eastern city in the 50 best skylines in the world, with Doha placed second in the region at 64. READ MORE HERE |
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Saudi Arabia Macroeconomic Analysis Report(0)
Saudi Arabia Country Report The USD350 Saudi Arabian Macroeconomic Analysis Report, examines the prospects for the Middle East’s largest economy. The country is poised for growth over the next few years, but also faces significant political and social challenges. The independent study on Saudi Arabia examines all the key issues that could shape the future of Saudi Arabia: including succession issues inside the Al Saud dynasty, demographic challenges, unemployment issues, domestic business climate and key regulations that could unlock new opportunities for new businesses and investors in the country. AlifArabia’s report provides the following:
In addition, you get the following BENEFITS:
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50 Amazing MENA Economic Indicators For 2011(0)
The year 2011 has been extraordinary not just for the tectonic shift in the region’s political structures, but also the extraordinary pressures and opportunities faced by many regional economies. With four dictators ousted - including one dead - many others were shaken to the core - the after shocks have reverberated throughout the region in 2011 and will no doubt be felt in 2012. We identify 50 amazing statistics that highlight the remarkable year: READ MORE HERE |
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Islamic Finance: A ‘come together’ consolidation?(0) Will 2012 be the year of “come together” consolidation for Islamic banks? Size is often the justification for achieving economies of scale, used to access deals for league table prominence, used as a buffer in a challenging environment, used as defensive measure to ward off unwanted suitors, and so on. Islamic banks are very much like Islamic (equity) funds. There are hundreds of Islamic banks and funds, but the paid-up capital and assets under management, respectively, is too small to be meaningful. Yet, both, more so Islamic banks, present a unique situation (of an industry risk) of “too small to fail”. |
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EU Bank Deleveraging Could Impact On MENA Economies(0) Deleveraging in EU banks is one of the many issues impacting the ME economies in the 2012. Tourism, trade, investment and oil exports could also suffer as the EU crisis unravels. All eyes are fixed on the European Union these days, as the region remains mired in a sovereign debt crisis that threatens the very future of the economic bloc. READ MORE HERE |
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The Kurdish Conflict: The Real Challenge To Turkey’s Democracy(0)
By Alon Ben-Meir In the wake of the Arab Spring and Prime Minister Erdogan’s championing of political reforms throughout the Arab world, it has now become more urgent than ever before to find an equitable solution to the Turkish-Kurdish conflict. Short of finding an immediate resolution to this debilitating struggle will not only severely compromise Turkey’s suggested model of successfully combining Islam and democracy, but it will additionally bankrupt its moral standing as it willfully continues to discriminate against 15 million Kurds who represent one-fifth of its population. |
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Arab Spring: A New Era In A Transforming Globe(0)
November 8, 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 and interconnectedness between cultures make it impossible for tyrants to rule for the entirety of their lifetimes while mercilessly subjugating their peoples to lives of servitude with no prospect of ever tasting the true meaning of freedom. |
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5 Questions About Global Economy Answered & Where’s The Next Bubble: Barclays(0)The next bubble may be forming in developed sovereign debtThe October 2011 edition of Barclays Wealth Compass, entitled “Perspectives on Markets: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” reflects upon the past two decades of market volatility with an eye toward understanding and positioning for the future. The firm’s chief investment officer and heads of regional Investment Strategy, Behavioural Finance and Quantitative Analytics answer five key questions in the special edition. |
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China’s Hard Landing Will Hurt Middle East Economic Prospects(0) 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. As the advanced economies were contracting and falling behind earlier in the year, the Gulf and the wider MENA states were hoping Chinese and wider Asian demand to ensure their oil production finding eager buyers. READ MORE HERE |
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$1.6T Middle East Projects Are Delayed Or Cancelled: Citibank(0) Close 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. Read More Here |
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Middle East States’ Foreign Assets To Hit $2.2 Trillion By Year End: IIF(0) The 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 |
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Saudi GDP To Nearly Double By 2014: Citibank(0) There is no doubt that Saudi Arabia has extended itself with its latest domestic spending programme. So much so that sustained dips in oil price could turn its budget surplus for the year into a deficit. Read More Here |
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Why Abu Dhabi Is An Economic Oasis In A Troubled Desert(0) As safe haven-seeking investors cast their eyes over the political storm in the region, Abu Dhabi appears to be a safe harbour. Read More Here
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Middle East Sovereign Debtors Seen As Among Riskiest By Global Investors(1) Saudi 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 |
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What Were The Middle East’s Best And Worst Performing Stocks In Q1?(2) What 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 |
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Qatar’s $225 Billion Bonanza Over Next Five Years(2) Qatar’s investment over the next five years will be a staggering $225 billion, but the country is still worried about low energy prices during the period. As a roadmap for its social and economic aspirations, you can’t really fault Qatar’s National Development Strategy 2011-2016 report. It is inspirational, comprehensive and packed with good intentions, as all such reports should. For an economy that is growing at a rate that would put China to shame, it’s national development strategy (NDS) is also lacking in a fair bit of pride and glory - if anything, there are parts of the report that are a bit hesitant and self-doubting. The missing vainglory is a contrast from some of the other national development strategies that one has seen over the years - and that is not a bad thing. It’s almost endearing. Read More |
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Standard Chartered’s Gulf Debt Outlook & Dubai Concerns(2) The 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 |
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Black Swan Fatigue?(1) The world is going through one disaster after another. But are these all Black Swan events or known unknowns? But are these events occuring more frequently, or are they just being better reported? What’s a risk manager to do? Read More |
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Brace for funds flowing out of Bahrain(1) The Middle East crisis will see capital flowing out of the region, especially the vulnerable financial hub of Bahrain, according to a poll. |
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EFG-Hermes’ Insightful Heat Map On Middle East’s Problems(2) Read 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 |
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What The Forbes Billionaire List Reveals About Middle East Turmoil(0) What the Forbes billionaire list may tell us about the problems of wealth-distribution in the Middle East. Read More |
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Growth Retraction Fears in Middle East(0) As 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 |
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Egypt: Growth resumes, risks persist(0) Egypt’s economic growth set to resume again, but a few dark clouds hover over the horizon. Read More |
100 Largest Economies By 2050: HSBC Middle East’s Top 25 Banks 9 Challenges Facing The New Crown Prince Of Saudi Arabia Egypt Will Surpass Saudi Economy By 2050: HSBC Top 10 Middle East Fund Managers 
Tanzania LNG on backburner amid constitution review GCC budget breakeven oil price creeps up Is Gold Rally Over? Should Islamic scholars abide by an industry code of conduct? Africa’s fastest growing cities Sorry. No data so far.
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Contacts and informationAlifArabia aims to provide analysis on Middle East and Africa business and political issues. It wants to see a thriving and dynamic Middle East that encourages corporate and government transparency, investments and policies that allow the economies to grow.
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