The residential segment is well on its way to returning to pre-2009 levels of growth, with the volume of real estate trading expanding by 30% in 2013 and total value of transactions reaching $2.28bn, compared to $1.76bn in 2012. State-funded housing projects are expected to drive expansion, with the government signing its first-ever housing public-private partnership agreement in 2012....
Expansion of the transportation sector is regarded as crucial for future economic growth in Bahrain; the sector’s contribution to GDP is expected to increase from 4% to 7% in the coming years, driven in large part by the rising population. Upgrades at Bahrain International Airport will boost the facility’s passenger and cargo capacity with the addition of 13 new gates and 40 new check-in...
Oil and gas remain key to Bahrain’s economy, with 87% of government revenues generated from hydrocarbons in 2012 and the oil sector growing robustly in 2013, posting 15% real GDP growth. While falling oil prices are a concern in the short term, the kingdom is looking to boost oil production in the medium term. Efforts are under way to double the output of the Bahrain field by 2020 through the...
Bahrain boasts the highest insurance penetration rate in the GCC at 2.3% of the population. This is a result of its comparatively long insurance history, the clear regulation in place and the large number of companies involved in the sector. Motor insurance remains the primary source of revenue and claims within the sector, with motor lines representing almost 26% of premiums and contributions...
Bahrain remains a world leader in Islamic finance, boasting the highest concentration of Islamic financial institutions globally, with six licensed Islamic retail banks and 18 licensed Islamic wholesale banks. Islamic wholesale banks’ investment portfolios have begun to demonstrate promising diversification in recent times, with a shift away from risky real estate fuelling interest in other...
June 2014 marked the 25th anniversary of trading on the bourse, which began operating as the Bahrain Stock Exchange in 1989. The market looks to have recovered from the global financial crisis, and in 2013 posted an 18.9% year-on-year increase in market capitalisation, with the trend continuing into 2014, with a 21.7% rise to BD8.47bn ($22.45bn) at the end of September 2014. The banking sector...
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