Abu Dhabi has one of the world’s largest and most developed hydrocarbons industries, benefitting from its substantial resources and openness to international investment. Building on decades of steady growth and development, the sector is undertaking a shift. The drive to diversify has resulted in higher levels of investment in both non-conventional hydrocarbons and downstream capacity, and...
In 2017 the UAE was home to the largest and fastest-growing insurance sector in the GCC. The industry has recorded strong compound annual growth rates in both non-life and life segments during the last decade, while takaful (Islamic insurance) products have developed considerably since 2012. This growth has come on the heels of an influx of expatriates, increase in the population of working-...
Abu Dhabi is a prominent player in Islamic finance and is active in markets for sharia-compliant debt; deposit, lending and investment schemes; and risk-management through takaful (Islamic insurance). Acting through the Abu Dhabi Global Market, the emirate’s financial free zone, the sector has access to domestic as well as offshore service providers. Together with the six other emirates of the...
Abu Dhabi’s capital markets have witnessed rapid expansion since the establishment of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) in 2000. Prior to the ADX, the sector played a much more limited role in the emirate’s financial services landscape. Historically the region has had a significant amount of capital owing to its oil wealth and, coupled with a relatively robust and liquid banking system,...
Banks in Abu Dhabi are well funded and have demonstrated resilience. They also exist in a competitive environment that is widely seen as overbanked. After a major merger created the region’s second-largest lender in 2017, further moves towards consolidation are expected. For now, the banking system has ample liquidity and would benefit from more opportunities to deploy it. The government has...
In both Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE, diversification away from the hydrocarbons sector is a key component of economic planning, and the emirate is moving to increase the role of non-oil exports in its trading profile. This will largely be supported by continued investment in the emirate’s port infrastructure, industrial and free zones, and the connectivity between the two. Agreements with...
Stay updated on how some of the world’s most promising markets are being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and what actions governments and private businesses are taking to mitigate challenges and ensure their long-term growth story continues.
Register now and also receive a complimentary 2-month licence to the OBG Research Terminal.
Register Here×