Kuwait

In recent years Kuwait has seen steadily expanding trade activity with neighbouring countries, the broader Middle East and a variety of key partners further afield. Dependence on oil income is one of the nation’s chief challenges: while the country has continued to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons revenues, oil and other mineral fuels remain the country’s most important export...

Kuwait’s banking system has improved markedly in the years since the global economic downturn: at the end of 2014, total customer and government deposits held by local banks stood at $129.6bn, up from $125.5bn at the end of 2013. Meanwhile, a series of new rules put in place by the Central Bank of Kuwait and other regulatory bodies in recent years have steadied the sector, providing a stable...

Although the recent dip in oil prices is undoubtedly a concern for Kuwait’s economy should prices remain depressed, the successive budget surpluses of recent years and the country’s low breakeven price on oil production mean the country is strongly placed to cope with lower prices without increasing production. Meanwhile, the government remains committed to maintaining capital expenditures and...

As a major oil producer and key member of OPEC and the GCC, Kuwait faces a long-term challenge in the recent fall in oil prices, which have added new impetus to its drive for economic diversification. An expanding private sector and ongoing government support for a range of infrastructure projects should, however, ensure continued growth moving forward as new developments are set in motion to...