Middle East Archives

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Banking

Emerging Markets Roundup: Middle East

DUBAI SEEKS ROLE AS CAPITAL OF ISLAMIC ECONOMY By Gordon Platt Dubai plans to become the capital of the Islamic economy by setting global standards. In addition to promoting Islamic finance and insurance, the emirate wants to arbitrate ...

Banking

Middle East Investment Banking

SIGNS OF RESILIENCE By Gordon Platt In spite of poor global economic and investment conditions, Middle Eastern investment banking looks set for another solid year in 2013. The outlook for investment banking in the volatile Middle East ...

Emerging & Frontier Markets

Newsmaker: Speculation Is Rife About Fischer’s Next Move

NEWSMAKER ISRAEL By David Lipkin Stanley Fischer is set to retire as governor of the Bank of Israel at the end of June. Fischer, guardian of Israel’s economy, bows out gracefully He will be remembered as one of ...

Award Winners

Safest Banks in the Middle East and Africa: April 2013

Global Finance names the Safest Banks in the Middle East and Africa: April 2013 NEW YORK, February 26, 2013 Global...

Banking

Country Report: Saudi Arabia

RESISTANT TO CHANGE By Gordon Platt Saudi Arabia is working hard—and spending heavily—to diversify its economy and create jobs for its expanding population through a broad-ranging series of reforms. But these reforms are ruffling feathers in some quarters. ...

Country Report

Country Report: Kuwait

SURMOUNTING THE STATUS QUO By Justin Keay Despite its wealth and strong banking sector, Kuwait is being held back by its failure to invest internally and diversify away from oil. The demonstrations that preceded—and followed—Kuwait’s parliamentary elections ...

Banking

Dubai Commodities Exchange Craves More Market Share

MILESTONES: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES By Anita Hawser Dubai Mercantile Exchange is on a mission: It wants to take up more space on the screens of futures traders, according to new CEO Christopher Fix, who once sat on the ...

Banking

Emerging Markets Roundup: Middle East

NEW SAUDI MORTGAGE LAW COULD SPUR HOUSING BOOM By Gordon Platt The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, the kingdom’s central bank, issued new regulations governing the enforcement of foreclosures as part of a new mortgage law that has been ...

Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

Emerging Markets Review: Middle East Oil Glut

OIL GLUT By Gordon Platt High oil prices have enabled the Middle East’s major oil producers to finance infrastructure investments despite the global slowdown. But the jig might soon be up. With its massive inflow of oil-export ...

Banking

Report: Qatar Faces Geopolitical Risk

GRAND VISIONS By Anita Hawser Qatar has used its oil and gas wealth to finance its global ambitions. But its economy remains vulnerable to ever-present geopolitical tensions. For a small country, Qatar certainly punches above its weight ...

Country Report

Country Report: Lebanon

AGAINST ALL ODDS By Justin Keay Mid-20th-century tourists flocked to Lebanon, the Switzerland of the East. War and instability long ago changed that. Now, with the Syrian conflict spilling over its borders, the country faces yet another round ...

Banking

Milestone: Rial Collapse Could Spell The End Of Irans Government

MILESTONES: IRAN By Michael Shari The collapse of Iran’s currency, the rial, has cut so deeply into the credibility of Iran’s government that it’s inching closer to regime change than it has been since a popular uprising deposed ...