The Middle East

One of the least-saturated markets in the MENA region for modern retail, Jordan is set to see a new crop of major malls and outlets open throughout 2018, consolidating its reputation as a growth country for the industry. Yet, as with other areas of the economy, prospects depend on overall growth, which has slowed amid regional uncertainties...

Regulatory reforms aimed at implementing international best practices across banks, capital markets and the insurance industry have been undertaken in Jordan’s financial services sector, which already benefits from stable, well-capitalised and profitable lenders, and rapid growth and diversification in Islamic financial services.

Jordan has made significant progress in preserving macroeconomic stability and reducing the fiscal deficit in the past few years. However, on the back of continued efforts by the government to fulfil the stipulations of the $723m extended fund facility agreement with the IMF, the government may need to pursue more widespread reforms to...

Still comprising a small portion of the financial services sector, Islamic finance is set to play a much bigger role in Jordan’s economic development by supporting financial services diversification and offering a potential solution to limited credit access and excess liquidity.

The rapidly evolving financial technology (fintech) industry is emerging as one of the most vibrant segments of the global financial services sector, collecting over $22bn in investment in 2015 – a figure that is expected to grow exponentially. The usefully disruptive effect of new products and services has raised competition levels and...

Since October 2016 Jordan’s King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein has spearheaded a series of reforms aimed at building a more effective and efficient judicial system. Reforms are expected to promote civil rights, boost the efficiency of the courts and strengthen the rule of law, which King Abdullah II described as an “essential requirement for a...