Saudi Arabia kicked off the year with bumper international debt issuance and, with foreign investment remaining weak and budget deficits likely to persist, the government’s reliance on capital markets is unlikely to abate anytime soon. Elsewhere, Egypt will soon receive the latest $1.2bn tranche of its IMF deal. But if policymakers dawdle on structural reforms, there’s a risk that the IMF and investors withhold crucial capital lending and the pound comes under pressure. Finally, at the thirteenth time of asking, Lebanon elected a new president, Joseph Aoun. This is a positive step, but it will be a long and arduous road to economic recovery.
Become a client to read more
This is premium content that requires an active Capital Economics subscription to view.
Already have an account?
You may already have access to this premium content as part of a paid subscription.
Sign in to read the content in full or get details of how you can access it
Register for free
Sign up for a free account to:
- Unlock additional content
- Register for Capital Economics events
- Receive email updates and economist-curated newsletters
- Request a free trial of our services