Middle East & North Africa Economics Update What’s behind the apparent weakness in Egypt’s economy? Egypt’s economy has slowed sharply and by more than we expected over the first half of this year. But we think some of the constraints on growth will start to lift in the coming quarters. 26th August 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Gulf unlikely to be flustered by latest drop in oil prices The drop in oil prices over the past couple of months is unlikely to cause policymakers in the GCC countries to panic. The region’s large reserves mean that most countries are under little immediate... 25th August 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update How will policymakers respond to the market rout? China’s interest rate cut has helped to stem the panic that has gripped emerging markets in recent days, but it has also raised the obvious question about whether other EMs may follow suit. We doubt... 25th August 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update MENA equity markets take a bruising Equity markets across the MENA region have been hit hard over the past month against the backdrop of the general turmoil in global financial markets and a fresh drop in oil prices. 24th August 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update Making sense of the EM sell-off The rout in EM financial markets is generating increasingly hysterical headlines with many commentators seemingly fighting to outdo one another with predictions of doom and gloom for emerging... 24th August 2015 · 1 min read
Frontier Markets Wrap Which frontier market peg could be the next to go? The recent devaluation of China’s renminbi and the slump in commodity prices were the two key factors behind Vietnam’s decision last week to widen the dong trading band with the dollar and the... 24th August 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Chart Pack EM currencies take a beating on China worries The impact of China’s renminbi devaluation is continuing to be felt across emerging markets. The Kazakh central bank today scrapped its trading band for the tenge, which subsequently fell by over 20%... 20th August 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack Growing disparities in Gulf fiscal policy The past month has brought further signs of diverging attitudes in the Gulf to dealing with the fiscal headache caused by low oil prices. If media reports are to be believed, the UAE looks set to... 20th August 2015 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Still room for revision of rate expectations in EM bond market Local currency government bonds have been a port in the emerging market (EM) storm during the past year, as investors have revised down their expectations for policy rates. While they are now... 20th August 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update After the falls: where next for EM currencies? The most recent declines in emerging market currencies have been driven by renewed falls in global commodity prices, China’s ‘devaluation’ of the renminbi, and worries about the prospect of monetary... 18th August 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Buoyant oil sector supports strong growth in Saudi Arabia Our GDP Tracker suggests that Saudi Arabia’s economy continued to grow by over 5% y/y at the end of Q2, supported by strong growth in the oil sector. However, with Iranian oil set to return to the... 18th August 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update UAE’s planned sales tax a positive step Reports that the UAE is planning to introduce a sales tax, coming soon after some fuel prices were deregulated, add to the impression that it is taking fiscal consolidation more seriously than the... 13th August 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Data Response Saudi Arabia Consumer Prices (Jul.) Saudi Arabian inflation remained unchanged at 2.2% y/y last month and, overall,price pressures appear to be subdued. We think this is likely to remain the case overthe next 18 months or so. 13th August 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Data Response Egypt Consumer Prices (Jul.) The sharp fall in Egyptian inflation to a 13-month low of 8.4% y/y in July was due toboth lower food inflation and the unwinding of last year’s energy price hikes. Withinflation now back in single... 10th August 2015 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update Winners and losers from the latest commodity collapse Of the major EMs, the biggest losers from the most recent fall in commodity prices have been Russia, Nigeria and Colombia, while the biggest winners have been Korea, India and Thailand. A similar... 7th August 2015 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update What to make of Saudi Arabia’s return to the bond market? Media reports suggesting that the Saudi central bank will issue bonds in greater volumes over the rest of this year have raised fresh concerns about the government’s seemingly relaxed response to the... 6th August 2015 · 1 min read
