The Middle East Economy

Saudi Arabia has rapidly been increasing its business footprint overseas, last year tripling its foreign direct investment (FDI) outflows.

Dubai is seeking to stimulate growth among the emirate’s start-ups with the release of a white paper outlining solutions to improve access to funding, offer greater support and build investment networks for small businesses.

It has been two years since three Gulf countries and Egypt placed an economic blockade on Qatar, to which Qatar responded by implementing a series of reforms, seeking out new trade partners and amplifying economic diversification efforts. How effective have these measures proved?

International access to Saudi equities continues to grow on the back of reforms to capital markets and the recent inclusion of dozens of stocks in an influential emerging markets index.

Mirroring a trend seen across the Gulf, two lenders in Qatar announced the country’s first bank merger in a move officials say will support economic growth and the development of the financial and private sectors. 

Newly introduced legislation regulating the activities of companies in Oman will increase transparency and oversight, while also serving to encourage more local firms to list on the country’s stock exchange.