Despite a sharp downturn in oil prices in the latter part of the year, Abu Dhabi’s economy maintained its solid pace of growth in 2014. Strong fiscal reserves, a low breakeven price of oil and an increasingly diversified economy should ensure expansion is maintained in 2015, though possibly at a slower rate than in past years.
It has been something of a tumultuous year for Qatar’s capital markets. The 12 months saw two major country upgrades, moves to change the rules on foreign ownership, a very successful IPO, a move towards dual listing, ETFs, margin trading and short selling – all underscored by some strong growth in securities, coupled with a bolstering of bonds.
For a regular star-performer among emerging markets, the Turkish economy had a modest year in 2014, with the rate of growth easing and the lira tumbling, though exporters managed to post record earnings despite weaker demand from some key markets.
While a combination of high break-even prices and lower levels of fiscal reserves could see falling oil prices push Bahrain further into the red, the kingdom is still set to post respectable economic growth for the year, buoyed by a solid performance from its non-hydrocarbons sector.
Non-oil growth and higher domestic consumption combined to drive up economic activity in Kuwait in 2014, although plunging world oil prices and relatively flat domestic production look set to weigh on the state’s finances.
Despite falling oil prices, the economy in Qatar maintained a steady rate of expansion throughout 2014, with targets of even more robust growth this year, fuelled by the non-hydrocarbon sector.
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