Economy

We are projecting a slight narrowing in the UAE's current account surplus in 2012 (to 7.6% of GDP from an estimated 8.7% in 2011), as hydrocarbon receipts fall and re-exports to Iran... 2012-01-27

Consumer price inflation in Bahrain came in at a three-month low of 0.2% y-o-y in December, bringing the average rate of headline price growth in 2011 to -0.4%. A key factor behind... 2012-01-27

The Omani government's expansionary spending plans, outlined in its budget for 2012, are likely to be comfortably funded by income from oil and gas exports. While we have pencilled... 2012-01-25

Bahrain's economy will continue gathering steam through 2012, supported by higher oil prices and a likely influx in foreign aid from Saudi Arabia. We are pencilling in real GDP growth... 2012-01-23

Despite undertaking several notable reforms over the past few quarters aimed at promoting longer-term sustainable growth, in the near term we expect the Iranian economy to remain a... 2012-01-11

We remain broadly sanguine about Kuwait's growth prospects in 2012. In spite of an increasingly foreboding external environment, we anticipate that heavy government spending will continue... 2012-01-09

The Saudi Arabian government is set to continue its expansionary fiscal policy throughout 2012. We expect both revenues and expenditure to comfortably exceed the allocations outlined... 2012-01-04

The UAE is set for another year of steady, yet relatively uninspiring, growth through 2012, with real GDP forecast to expand 3.0%. This follows an estimated 3.3% rate of expansion posted... 2012-01-04

In spite of a sharp increase in government spending, we continue to expect Qatar's budget position to remain healthy over the coming years. We are pencilling in a 36.3% y-o-y rise in... 2011-12-21

While inflationary pressure is set to remain pronounced in Yemen over the coming quarters, we expect the headline print to moderate in 2012 compared with 2011. We are forecasting average... 2011-12-21