VOL. XLI

No. 42

19-October-1998

KUWAIT

Kuwaiti Banks Strengthened But No Moodys Upgrade

The US ratings agency Moodys Investors Service said in its annualreport on Kuwait that "weaker Kuwaiti banks have been becoming somewhat stronger andmore profitable over the last years, but this progress has not been sufficient to warrantupgrade." In a statement released on 15 October, Moodys justified the lack ofan upgrade by the current condition of the Kuwaiti economy and its lack of diversity anddepth....