Bahrain

Bahrain has lifted the ban on granting visas to Bangladeshi workers. The ban was imposed two months ago in the wake of an alleged murder of a Bahraini national by a Bangladeshi mechanic,... 2008-07-25

Bahrain will continue to post substantial current account surpluses over the forecast period. We expect the 2008 surplus to come in at US$3.7bn.

Sectarian tensions show no sign of easing in Bahrain. Government actions are doing little to improve the situation, although the biggest risk to political stability stems from a regional... 2008-07-18

A violent murder in Bahrain has spawned a backlash against Bangladeshi immigrants that could have serious political and economic implications for the Gulf Kingdom. Interior Minister... 2008-05-30

Oil export revenues are forecast to jump by 16.6% to US$12.59bn in 2008 thanks to high oil prices - our 2008 average price forecast for the OPEC Basket currently stands at US$96.50/bbl,... 2008-05-30

Bahrain's banking sector remains in healthy shape, despite the exposure of some large institutions to the US subprime crisis. Future growth will be driven by the Gulf projects market... 2008-05-29

BMI View: The UAE looks set to be the hardest hit by infrastructural shortages, but all of the GCC states (barring Qatar) are lacking the necessary power supply: with the cost of... 2008-05-01

We are forecasting an aggregate real GDP growth rate of 5.9% this year, both for the Gulf region (including Iran, Iraq and Yemen), and for the GCC. Next year the GCC will maintain... 2008-04-04

BMI View: The dollar reversal the GCC authorities have been praying for looks as remote as ever this morning, and we are now looking at a serious deterioration in the business environment,... 2008-03-17

Relations between Bahrain and India have been strained by a dispute over minimum wages for Indian workers in the Gulf state. A proposed initiative by the Overseas Indian Affairs Ministry,... 2008-03-03