OPEC+ stuck to its output increase plan on 2 December but with the proviso that it could immediately react to a significant hit to demand from the Omicron Covid variant. An oil price of cUS$70 (Brent), close to the year-to-date average, approximately...

The USD index has risen by 5% so far this year. Comparing banks' net foreign currency position with the over/(under) valuation of currencies against their REER fair values allows us to identify banks offering the best hedging potential. Looking at th...

Based on the size mismatch of their rate-sensitive assets and liabilities, Al Rajhi (Saudi Arabia), Bank Pekao and Santander Bank Polska (Poland), Qatar Islamic Bank and Saudi National Bank are most sensitive to rate hikes; every 100bps increase in r...

For ease of reference, we present the results of our analysis at the country level in this report. Greek banks' bottom-line is most sensitive to higher margins; their current margins and profitability remain depressed. But since profit is smaller tha...

Should governments in the Middle East that are allied, or at least aligned, with the US be more concerned for their security following the final US withdrawal from Afghanistan? Or, at least, no more than they were before recent images from Kabul airp...

OPEC has pulled an eleventh-hour rabbit out of the hat many times before, and it will need to do so again to bring the UAE back into the fold this time. The UAE is the fourth-largest producer in OPEC+ and wants its quota to reflect the over 20% capac...