The Middle East

Jordan’s insurance industry is at something of a crossroads. Having shown its ability to grow in a trying economic environment, the sector’s future expansion is challenged by increasing competition and a significant change in the regulatory framework by which it is governed. The optimism which currently surrounds the industry is derived from the growth prospects of the...

Arab Bank was founded in 1930 in Jerusalem and was the first private banking institution in the Arab world. In 1948 the bank moved its headquarters to Amman after the start of the Arab-Israeli conflict, where it was officially incorporated as a public shareholding company. In 1978 the bank was the first company to be listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE). With a sound...

Established in 1960 in Jordan, the Bank of Jordan (BOJX) has evolved into a key player in the Jordanian banking sector. The bank is a medium-sized institution with 67 branches in Jordan, 14 in Palestine, and a subsidiary in Syria.

Cairo Amman Bank was established in 1960 when Egypt’s Banque du Caire converted its branch in Amman to a public shareholding company. The bank operates in Jordan and Palestine with Jordan being its primary market. In 2013 about 82% of Cairo Amman Bank’s pre-tax income originated from its operations in Jordan. The bank is also one of Jordan’s most well-known mid-sized...

The Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) entered 2014 with renewed momentum on the back of the higher trading values and volumes of the previous year. With the ASE Index more buoyant than at any time since 2011, there is a sense that interest in the exchange as a source of capital and destination for investment is returning. However, with intense competition from regional...