VOL. XLIV

No 31

30-July-2001

BANKRESULTS

BullishQatar Risk Appetite Fails To Buoy Bank Performance

Despitea bullish stance towards Qatari risk, as demonstrated by the exceptionally fastclose of the recent QAFCO $400mn loan facility (MEES,9 July) and the solid appetite for the $160mn Ras Abu Fontas loan (MEES,23 July), the domestic banking sector is looking singularly less comfortable,with several local banks now facing the challenge of reinvigorating profits bythe end of the year. Financial...