Latin America Economics Update Emerging Economies: Five key calls for 2012 We broadly agree with the consensus view that most emerging economies will hold up well in 2012. But with the US set to slow and the euro-zone heading towards break-up, the path ahead is going to be... 7th December 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Data Response Saudi Arabia HSBC/Markit PMI (Nov) November’s PMI data show that, after slowing in the third quarter, growth in Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector is gathering momentum again. However, higher purchase and staff costs mean that price... 5th December 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Data Response UAE HSBC/Markit PMI (Nov) The sharp fall in the PMI’s export component shows the vulnerability of UAE’s non-oil economy to global conditions. 5th December 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Financing risk, not Islamist win, is the greatest threat in Egypt Although the official results from Egypt’s first round of elections have not yet been released, it is almost certain that the Freedom and Justice party (the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood)... 1st December 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update First thoughts on the UAE's stimulus Following similar moves in other Gulf countries, the UAE announced an increase of up to 100% in the pay of some public sector workers, as well as the introduction of a $2.7 billion fund to help low... 30th November 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Political tensions in Kuwait could accelerate reforms On the face of it, the resignation of the Kuwaiti government adds to the general sense that political risks in the Arab world are escalating once again. However, given that Kuwait is much wealthier... 28th November 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egyptian rate hike: another by-product of the unrest Today’s rate hike by 100 bps to 9.25% is a clear sign that Egypt’s central bank is increasingly concerned over growing balance of payments strains and the risk of a currency crisis. Although the... 24th November 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack Egypt erupts The past month has been dominated by events in Egypt. Renewed clashes between protestors and the security forces, coupled with the resignation of the interim government, have left parliamentary... 22nd November 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt election concerns add to already high financing risks The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces’ (SCAF) dithering over securing external financial assistance has left Egypt teetering on the edge of a full-blown economic crisis. The central bank’s... 21st November 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Data Response Saudi Arabia Consumer Prices (Oct.) Inflation in Saudi Arabia edged down slightly last month as a sharp drop in food inflation offset a rise in domestic goods and services inflation. 21st November 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update UAE banks better placed to weather a fresh global crisis The UAE’s banks are better prepared to face the fallout of the euro-zone debt crisis than they were during the financial crisis of 2008. However, lending to the private sector is unlikely to return to... 17th November 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Raising deposit rates is not enough to support the Egyptian pound The decision by privately-owned banks in Egypt to raise deposit rates by around two percentage points may slow the rate of dollarization of resident accounts, which could help the central bank in its... 15th November 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Sanctions threaten double-digit drop in Syrian GDP The Arab League’s decision to suspend Syria’s membership paves the way for harsher economic and political sanctions that should weaken President Bashar Al-Assad’s leadership. Admittedly, Iraq, Yemen... 14th November 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt: Inflation collapsing but no room for near-term rate cuts Although Egyptian inflation fell to its slowest rate for 4 years in October, currency concerns continue to prevent a near-term cut in interest rates. Indeed, if there is any rate change before the end... 10th November 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt: living on borrowed time We estimate that the Central Bank of Egypt has sufficient FX reserves to maintain its current rate of intervention in the foreign exchange markets until early next year. Assuming this month’s... 8th November 2011 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Employment schemes in the GCC: silver bullet or damp squib? The recent moves by the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to increase the participation of their citizens in the private sector jobs market, notably Saudi Arabia’s Nitiqat scheme, are... 3rd November 2011 · 1 min read
