The Middle East

As one of the principle pillars of Qatar’s non-oil and gas economy – and a leading light in the country’s private sector – the financial services industry has recently been a particular focal point in moves to strengthen the drive to Qatarisation.

Indeed, the replacement of a number of expat banking CEOs with Qatari nationals in recent months has been one of the more visible signs of...

Improved political stability helped lift August property sales in Turkey, while the government is looking to infrastructure investments to stave off a downturn in the overheated construction sector. A glut of empty residential properties and high interest rates had curbed growth in property sales in recent times.

A multibillion-dollar cash injection from the state is supporting new growth across Oman’s construction sector, amid efforts to encourage the industry to source labour, services and supplies locally to broaden the contribution to its economy.

Much discussion of Jordan’s economic potential focuses on the mining and processing of minerals, but knowledge sectors like pharmaceuticals may offer a more effective tonic for the economy.

A growing population and crowded public school system have led Kuwait to move forward on a host of investments in education. The government recently launched tenders for a series of primary and secondary school construction projects while private sector contractors are poised to benefit as a university city is built.

Real estate prices in Qatar hit record highs in June after rising 28.9% year-on-year (y-o-y) according to the Real Estate Price Index (REPI) published by the Qatar Central Bank (QCB), its most recent data. The average prices for land, commercial and residential properties in June were 20% higher than the previous peak of September 2008, the central bank said.