CATEGORY: OBG CEO Surveys
Undoubtedly, higher and more stable oil prices have buoyed the Gulf countries over the past year. As I have written before, this is in some senses good news for the region, where oil plays such an important role in terms of income.
Higher and more stable oil prices have undoubtedly buoyed Gulf countries in 2018. While this is, in some senses, good news for the region, where oil plays such a crucial role in terms of income, it also raises important questions about the need for – and the pace of – reform. In speaking with close to 900 of the region’s executives in face-to-face interviews, the latest OBG Business Barometer: Gulf CEO Survey illuminates how the rollercoaster of the past year has impacted near-term business plans in the private sector, and how executives are factoring uncertainty into their development strategies.
The most recent economic results in Morocco show a deceleration from last year. The north African country grew by 2.4% in the second quarter of 2018, down from 4.5% in the same period last year, according to the High Commission for Planning. The agriculture sector has been cited as the main reason for the decline; its output slowed from just over 18% last year to around 3%.