GULF COUNTRIES
Analyst
Justin Alexander
Former Economic Advisor, Qatar Finance MinistryDatabanks
Recent Country Insights
GULF WEEKLY: Saudi employment improves in Q1 but FDI remains weak, PIF and Qatar Airways report strong profits, Israel sends ceasefire negotiators back to Qatar
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 05 Jul 2024
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Current surpluses rose in Q1 in Qatar (15% of GDP) and KSA (3%) but eased in Bahrain (5%). * Inward FDI remained weak in KSA (1% of GDP), fell in Bahrain (to 2%), and turned negative in Qatar. * Qatar’s PMI surged in June...
GULF WEEKLY: Oman’s GDP improved in Q1, PIF advanced 5.5GW of solar power, the UAE issued a $1.5bn bond, Bahrain’s foreign minister visited Iran
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 28 Jun 2024 · 1 response
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * EY and Mizuho are the latest firms to receive licenses for Regional HQs in Riyadh. * A PIF-led consortium signed $3.3bn in power purchase deals for 5.5GW in solar plants. * Aramco announced plans to buy a 25% stake in Por...
GULF WEEKLY: Oil rises to $86, GCC competitiveness improves, UAE FDI surged in 2023
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 21 Jun 2024 · 1 response
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Brent crude continued to rebound, rising to $86 today, the highest since April. * Gulf states all improved in IMD’s competitiveness index for a second year, led by the UAE at 7th globally. * The UAE led GCC FDI inflows in...
GULF WEEKLY: Oil rises but demand forecasts diverge, Qatar and Bahrain appoint ambassadors, Saudi and Kuwait GDP
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 14 Jun 2024
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Brent crude rebounded to about $83, above its level before the recent OPEC+ meeting. * The gap between IEA and OPEC demand forecasts widened to 1.3m b/d this year and 5.6m in 2029. * There was confusion about the position...
GULF WEEKLY: Aramco equity offering raises $11bn, Kuwait crown prince appointed, Oman spending down -2% in 2023
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 07 Jun 2024 · 1 response
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Brent crude partly recovers to $80, after initially bearish sentiments about the OPEC+ deal. * Qatar is hosting more ceasefire consultations as Biden’s Gaza plan faces pushback. * Qalibaf and Ahmadinejad added their names...
OPEC+ outlines production through 2025, phasing out this year’s cuts and giving an uplift for the UAE
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 03 Jun 2024 · 1 response
* The ministerial meeting was more ambitious than expected after a shift in venue to Riyadh. * This year’s 2.2m b/d in voluntary cuts by 8 countries will be phased out from Q4-24 to Q3-25. * The UAE has been allocated an additional 300k b/d that will phase in during 2025. * A fuller reallocati...
GULF WEEKLY: Saudi issues sukuk and announces Aramco secondary sale, UAE signs CEPA with Korea, Alat invests $2bn in Lenovo
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 31 May 2024
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Candidates for the Iranian presidency include hardliner Saeed Jalili and former speaker Ali Larijani. * Saudi Arabia issued $5bn in dollar sukuk and extended the maturity profile for $17bn in riyal sukuk. * Aramco announc...
GULF WEEKLY: Fitch upgrades RAK, Qatar issues green bond, Adnoc invests in LNG abroad, Gulf officials attend funeral in Iran
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 24 May 2024 · 2 responses
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Gulf ministers and Qatar’s Emir attended Raisi’s funeral, and Iran set elections for June 28. * The ICJ demanded a halt to the Rafah offensive, and the ICC proposed charges for Israeli and Hamas officials. * King Salman’s...
Iran’s president dies – what comes next?
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 20 May 2024
* President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian died in a helicopter crash. * There has been no suggestion of foul play. * Elections are due by July 9, and a handpicked hardliner will win. * This comes as a sensitive time, when Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei may not have long to live a...