The banking sector has shown signs of a brisk recovery in the past year, with expansion of both assets and deposits at major firms. Banks have boosted profits and built healthy balance sheets by tackling non-performing loans, auguring a return to the growth seen in pre-crisis years. Near-term sector growth is set to come from new lending to small and medium-sized enter-prises and Islamic...
The Middle East
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The state is pushing ahead with structural reforms that should provide a sound base for future development. GDP is forecast to expand by 3.5% in 2013, while the government has made reducing the fiscal deficit a priority. Trade opportunities with Iraq are also being explored, and longer-term initiatives, including the development of shale oil and renewables, should help to address long-standing...
Chapter | Country Profile from The Report: Jordan 2013
Home to many important biblical and pilgrimage sites, the past several years have seen significant changes in Jordan, with protests, constitutional reforms and most recently, elections held in early 2013 all reshaping the country’s political landscape. With a Parliament made up of Chamber of Deputies and Senate, the development of political parties is high on the agenda, with King Abdullah...
A new index for Oman’s stock exchange is expected to provide a boost to the Sultanate’s nascent Islamic financial services sector and lead the way for additional sharia-compliant products.
Long a leader in the region’s insurance industry, Bahrain is now facing rising competition, although plans to make medical coverage mandatory for foreign residents could give a welcome boost.
Economic update | Qatar: Developing tourism
25 Jun 2013
With a strong existing market from business visitors, and a growing status among tourists from elsewhere in the Gulf, Qatar’s authorities are now focusing on developing a broader leisure industry.