Algeria

In order to stoke growth following three years of underwhelming performance, central banks around the world have sought to pump liquidity into domestic markets. A variety of extraordinary and one-off measures – which include a combination of asset purchases and loan operations, along with near-zero interest rates – have been used in Europe and the...

Although it is well known as a major player in the global oil and gas industry, it is Algeria’s mining sector that is now in the spotlight, with the country expected to benefit from recent legislative and regulatory changes, as well as increasing government backing. Mining has long been considered an important basis for industrial development and is...

The Algerian banking industry remains dominated by public sector players, though both the public and private sectors have seen profits rise in recent years. Public sector banks have become profitable after a long period of restructuring, while private sector players have benefitted from a series of recent trade reforms and limited competition.

Operational since 1999, the Algerian stock exchange, Bourse d’Alger, is characterised by low levels of activity and liquidity, with just three equities and two corporate bonds currently listed, and with government bonds accounting for over 90% of trading. However, the authorities are working on a project that will significantly overhaul the...

Oil and gas production continues to dominate the Algerian economy, accounting for almost all of exports, close to half of government revenue and over a third of GDP. In recent years non-hydrocarbons GDP has outstripped wider economic growth, though this is largely driven by public spending rather than private sector activity.