At least, most in the GCC region are forecast to bring down their fiscal breakevens in 2021, eg Saudi drops from US$78 (with a c11% fiscal deficit) in 2020 to US$68 (6% fiscal deficit) in 2021. Saudi and GCC currencies: Drop the pegs while FX reserve...

Further to their preliminary announcement on 25 June, Saudi Arabia’s National Commercial Bank and Samba Financial Group have entered into a legally binding merger agreement. According to NCB Chairman Saeed Al-Ghamdi: "Saudi Arabia’s historic transfor...

Covid-19continues to oscillate between a source of gloom (new waves of infections even in those countries previously successful in their control of it, lasting economic damage to traditional businesses) and one of optimism (partial control of infecti...

GCC equities (MSCI GCC) broadly tracked the 10% increase in oil price over July and August 2020. Oil price has dropped 10% since the start of September but GCC equities are flat, implying higher risk near-term......given fiscal break-even oil prices...

Bahrain's tiny size means its normalisation of ties with Israel (announced on 11 September) changes little apart from competition with freezones in the UAE for attracting Israeli firms seeking to address the GCC and regional market (with its exports...

At face value, the UAE’s formal recognition of Israel and the latter’s suspension of West Bank annexation plans look, respectively, like an unprecedented geopolitical shift by a GCC state and a stark reversal of a potentially inflammatory Israeli pol...