The Bahrain Bourse (BHB) will soon be listing its first real estate investment trust (REIT). This will be a welcome addition for investors seeking diversification and exposure to the Bahrain real estate sector, with this segment currently limited to Seef Properties, a malls operator. A REIT is a regulated legal structure that holds income-...
A push to bring new products and services to the stock market is being steered by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), which regulates the country’s financial services industry. The launch comes against a backdrop of reforms, which marks part of a broader, two-pronged bid to strengthen the position of the Bahrain Bourse (BHB) at home and boost...
In addition to conventional instruments, the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) has introduced various Islamic products to support sharia-compliant banking. The kingdom has a high penetration of Islamic financial institutions, comprising six sharia-compliant retail banks and 18 wholesale banks, along with seven takaful (Islamic insurance)...
Like other bourses in the region, the Bahrain exchange faced strong economic headwinds in 2015 as a result of falling oil prices and the unrest in the wider Middle East. Nevertheless, a process of market development continues in the form of technical upgrades, legislative improvements and a steady stream of new investment instruments. As...
Credit cards have long been a key tool for financial institutions vying for market share in Bahrain’s competitive banking sector, and from a consumer’s perspective there has never been so much choice in the local market, with conventional and Islamic banks alike offering credit options. The major local and foreign institutions operating in the...
Thanks to a famously prudent yet flexible regulatory system, Bahrain’s lenders have been able to extend from a relatively small domestic base to become significant regional and global players. The extent of their reach helps them remain resilient amidst the challenges caused by regional unrest and falling oil prices over the past year. While...
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