Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly

Saudi HQ demands, oil prices, Morocco vaccine hope

Saudi Arabia’s “Programme HQ”, unveiled this week, aims to entice more foreign firms to the Kingdom, but the plan is ambiguous in many areas and does not support some of the government’s key economic...

18th February 2021 · 5 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Update

Lebanon: no signs of a turnaround

A severe COVID-19 outbreak has added to the long list of troubles in Lebanon and, given renewed social unrest and the fact that talks with both the IMF and international creditors are at a standstill...

17th February 2021 · 6 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Data Response

Saudi Arabia Consumer Prices (Jan.)

Saudi inflation rose to 5.7% y/y in the first month of the year as softer food inflation was more than offset by stronger transport inflation. Higher global oil and food prices, combined with the...

16th February 2021 · 2 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly

Oil price rise, Saudi law codification

The price of Brent crude has risen to its highest levels in over year this past week and, if this is sustained as we expect, the Gulf countries will benefit as OPEC+ eases its production quotas and...

11th February 2021 · 6 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Update

Saudi unemployment rate to fall only gradually

Saudi Arabia’s unemployment rate has risen sharply in the past year and, while we expect it to fall back, the weak recovery means that it might take many years before it gets close to its pre-pandemic...

10th February 2021 · 2 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Data Response

Egypt Consumer Prices (Jan.)

The drop in Egyptian inflation to 4.3% y/y in January leaves the headline rate below the lower bound of the central bank’s (CBE) target range but, if we’re right in expecting inflation to rise over...

10th February 2021 · 2 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Data Response

Saudi Arabia GDP (Q4, Flash Estimate)

The flash estimate of Saudi Q4 GDP showed that the economy continued to recover at the end of 2020 but it remained slow-going. Tighter virus containment measures and deeper oil production cuts mean...

10th February 2021 · 2 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly

Kuwait budget, COVID-19 restrictions, Egypt rate cut?

Kuwait’s budget laws have created problems financing the deficit that are now reaching a crunch point, but it seems most likely that the government will be able to get around these. Elsewhere, as...

4th February 2021 · 7 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Data Response

Whole Economy PMIs (Jan.)

January’s batch of whole economy PMIs suggest that that economic recoveries in the region have struggled to gain more momentum at the start of this year as fresh virus outbreaks have prompted a...

3rd February 2021 · 3 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly

SAMA shakeup, UAE banks, latest on COVID-19

The change of governor at the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) adds to the signs that the government will lean more heavily on SAMA to support its efforts to diversify investments and the Saudi economy...

28th January 2021 · 6 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Update

Dubai: a final hurdle before entering the home straight

The economic recovery in Dubai is going to be put on ice as a worsening COVID-19 outbreak results in increased precautionary behaviour and tighter containment measures. But if the strong start to the...

27th January 2021 · 3 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack

Gulf leading the vaccine race

Governments across the region have begun the roll out of COVID-19 vaccines with parts of the Gulf making a strong start. The UAE and Bahrain are among the world leaders in administering vaccines. In...

26th January 2021 · 10 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly

Tunisian protests, US ‘green’ shift, Saudi vaccines

Protests in Tunisia this week add to the challenges facing the government to put the public finances onto a sustainable footing. Elsewhere, US President Joe Biden has started to set out a greener...

21st January 2021 · 5 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economic Outlook

Gulf to lead the recovery

A rapid roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines, combined with rising oil production and higher oil prices, will support a quick recovery this year in the Gulf economies. But other parts of the Middle East and...

20th January 2021 · 25 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Update

Saudi recovery struggling to gather momentum

Saudi Arabia’s economic struggled at the end of last year and a combination of a slow start to the vaccination programme, voluntary oil output cuts and tight fiscal policy means that the outlook for...

19th January 2021 · 3 mins read