Reduced oil prices and fiscal austerity measures being carried out by governments across the GCC have resulted in a challenging environment for Bahrain’s sharia-compliant financial institutions. The competitive domestic market – home to the largest concentration of Islamic financial institutions in the Middle East – has reacted to adverse conditions, with what appears to be the beginning of a...
Despite a challenging investment environment, Bahrain’s exchange showed a relatively strong performance in 2017, with index gains in most sectors. Macroeconomic challenges remain in 2018, but new investment instruments and some significant changes to the exchange’s infrastructure are helping it to maintain its status as one of the most progressively regulated markets it the region – a key...
Bahrain’s reputation as a regional financial centre rests in part on the early flourishing of its banking industry. The country’s first modern bank was established nearly 100 years ago following an agreement between the kingdom’s ruler at the time, Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, and the UK-owned and Indian-headquartered Oriental Bank. As Bahrain’s banking sector completes its third full year...
The kingdom of Bahrain, renowned for its open markets and one of the most vibrant financial industries in the region, has faced economic headwinds in recent years. Lower oil prices have affected the many corporates that have chosen Manama as a base for their regional operations, and a stubborn fiscal deficit has resulted in a record-high level of public debt. The government has responded with...
For much of its history Bahrain was the name for the eastern coast of Arabia. Bahrain means “two seas” in Arabic, and although it is unclear which two seas the name refers to, it has recently come to identify the 33 natural islands of the Awal archipelago. The first notable inhabitants of the region were the Dilmun civilisation, approximately 6000 years ago, but throughout history its...
With some analysts suggesting that the 2017-20 period could see as much as $480bn in combined government expenditure across the GCC – with $288bn of that to be spent in transport and infrastructure projects alone – the region clearly maintains a considerable appetite for major capital investment.
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