Saudi Arabia

As the largest and most liquid bourse in the MENA region, the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) accounts for around 50% of the GCC equity market, and yet it is one of the most difficult to access for foreign investors (although this is set to change when the market opens up in 2015). Gaining exposure to the nation’s listed firms, many of which...

First, I would like to review the latest economic developments in Saudi Arabia. Last year, our economy continued to grow for the 14th consecutive year. Real GDP grew by 3.8% during 2013, which was greater than the global average of 2.9%. Meanwhile, the private sector grew by 5.5%. The growth of the Saudi economy was primarily driven by...

Saudi Arabia’s demographic profile helps to explain the significant position of remittances in the nation’s current account. After a number of years of net emigration, the turn of this century saw a reversal of trend to produce a net immigration rate of 19.6 migrants for every 1000 people between 2000 and 2005, according to the UN Economic and...

For GCC states seeking to diversify their economies away from a reliance on hydrocarbon revenues, the development of a vibrant small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector is a strategic priority. Saudi Arabia shares this ambition, but holds an advantage over many of its neighbours in that SMEs already account for around 90% of the country’s...

The past year has been a positive one for the Kingdom’s banking sector. With asset growth and profitability continuing the upward trend that has buoyed the industry over recent years, the shifts brought about by the 2008-09 global financial crisis are beginning to pay dividends in the form of increasingly diverse revenue streams and a wider...