1. UN Sees Polarized Performance In Arab Region

    ...ited Nation’s ESCWA Economic Development and Globalization Division. Speaking at a press conference on 24 January to launch the UN’s The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2014, Mr Dardari, who is also the program’s Chief Economist, said major energy exporters, mainly of the Gulf Cooperation Co...

    Volume: 57
    Issue: 05
    Published at Fri, 31 Jan 2014
  2. Baghdad Piles Financial Pressure On KRG

    ...IRAQ   Baghdad Piles Financial Pressure On KRG   Iraq cannot finance its projected 2014 deficit unless the KRG settles its arrears to the federal treasury, warns Haidar al-‘Abadi, head of the Iraqi parliament’s Finance Committee. Mr ‘Abadi says that unless the Kurdistan Re...

    Volume: 57
    Issue: 04
    Published at Fri, 24 Jan 2014
  3. UAE Funds Renewables In Africa, Pacific

    ...valu and Vanuatu under ADFD grants, with project completion expected in late 2014. Masdar also signed framework agreements with the European Investment Bank for clean energy projects in the MENA region and with Portuguese utility EDP for large-scale renewables projects in Latin America, Africa, the Mi...

    Volume: 57
    Issue: 04
    Published at Fri, 24 Jan 2014
  4. Yemen: 2014 Budget Looks To Patch Holes In Violence-Fueled Revenue Slump

    ...YEMEN   Yemen: 2014 Budget Looks To Patch Holes In Violence-Fueled Revenue Slump   Simmering violence through much of the country and growing secessionist movement in the south, coupled with frequent attacks on oil and gas pipelines, power lines and other infrastructure, have ta...

    Volume: 57
    Issue: 04
    Published at Fri, 24 Jan 2014
  5. ILO Report Offers Stark MENA Outlook

    ...ILO Report Offers Stark MENA Outlook   The International Labor Organization’s 2014 ‘Global Employment Trends’ report, released this week, is bleak reading for MENA. North Africa is the worst preforming region globally on a whole range of metrics; the Middle East isn’t far behind. MEES cr...

    Volume: 57
    Issue: 04
    Published at Fri, 24 Jan 2014
  6. Iran’s Indicators Improve As Sanctions Relief Approaches

    ...e real inflation rate to be much higher, the trend is clearly down. President Rohani said in November that his government is targeting a fall to 35% by the end of the Persian year on 20 March 2014; and to 25% a year later. The World Bank’s latest figure is 43% (for y/e October 2013). Un...

    Volume: 57
    Issue: 03
    Published at Fri, 17 Jan 2014
  7. World Bank Ups Global Growth Prospects, MENA In The Doldrums

    ...REGIONAL The World Bank has nudged up its global growth prediction for 2014. For MENA, a relatively healthy oil-fueled performance for GCC countries masks a sharp fall in growth projections for the region’s developing economies. In its latest twice-yearly Global Economic Prospects, re...

    Volume: 57
    Issue: 03
    Published at Fri, 17 Jan 2014
  8. Oman’s 2014 Budget Aims To Curb State Expenditure

    ...OMAN   Oman’s 2014 Budget Aims To Curb State Expenditure    Oman’s freshly-released 2014 budget envisages a modest increase of 5.0% in total expenditure to OR13.5bn ($35.1bn), compared to a 29% increase in 2013 over 2012. Oman officially projects inflation at 1.4% for 2014 – le...

    Volume: 57
    Issue: 02
    Published at Fri, 10 Jan 2014
  9. Saudi Arabia Unveils Record 2014 Budget Despite Curb On Expenditure Growth

    ...SAUDI ARABIA   Saudi Arabia Unveils Record 2014 Budget Despite Curb On Expenditure Growth   Riyadh has announced yet another record budget for 2014. But the 4.3% spending hike is lower than in previous years, in an attempt to rein in the spending boom which followed the 2011 up...

    Volume: 57
    Issue: 01
    Published at Fri, 03 Jan 2014
  10. IMF Says Jordanian Recovery On Track

    ...rect grants to the Jordanian central bank and finance ministry; a further $300mn came in direct budget support from Saudi Arabia, whilst $406mn came from the US, $82mn from the European Union and $20mn from other sources. For 2014, the IMF is projecting grants totaling $2.22bn, with $1.96bn to come fr...

    Volume: 57
    Issue: 01
    Published at Fri, 03 Jan 2014
  11. MENA Economic Divergence Set To Widen In 2014-Fitch

    ...REGIONAL   MENA Economic Divergence Set To Widen In 2014-Fitch   Fitch Ratings expects sovereign creditworthiness in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in 2014 to remain stable overall. However prospects are far more favorable for the region’s oil exporters than fo...

    Volume: 56
    Issue: 51/52
    Published at Fri, 20 Dec 2013
  12. Iran Slashes Budget; $100/B Crude, 1.1Mn b/d Exports

    ...IRAN   Iran Slashes Budget; $100/B Crude, 1.1Mn b/d Exports   Iranian President Hassan Rohani’s new administration will focus on tackling the twin problems of soaring inflation and unemployment in the year starting 21 March 2014. Outlining details of the 2014-15 budget, the fi...

    Volume: 56
    Issue: 50
    Published at Fri, 13 Dec 2013
  13. IMF: Kuwait Growth Slumps

    ...se of 3% in 2013. The forecast for overall average consumer price inflation is 3% in 2013. Fiscal and external surpluses are projected at 27% and 39% of GDP respectively in 2013, reflecting high oil prices, the IMF says. Looking ahead the IMF expects an improvement in the economic outlook in 2014 an...

    Volume: 56
    Issue: 50
    Published at Fri, 13 Dec 2013
  14. Oman Poised To Curb State Expenditure In 2014

    ...OMAN   Oman Poised To Curb State Expenditure In 2014   Oman has taken the strategic decision to put the brakes on state expenditure in 2014 after three years of sharp post-Arab Spring spending hikes. Outlining details of the draft budget to the Majlis al-Shura (State Co...

    Volume: 56
    Issue: 49
    Published at Fri, 06 Dec 2013
  15. Libya: Forex Reserves On The Slide

    ...onomy shrinking by 5% in 2014 in the event of the protests continuing, and suggested that in a worst case scenario Libya may seek foreign loans. (The IMF projects a contraction of 5.1% in real GDP in 2013 - MEES, 22 November.) Referring to these figures, the bank’s statement said that “the CBL de...

    Volume: 56
    Issue: 49
    Published at Fri, 06 Dec 2013
  16. Iran Budgets For $100/B

    ...IRAN   Iran Budgets For $100/B   Iran’s draft budget for the Iranian year 1393, starting on 21 March 2014, will be based on an oil price assumption of $100/B, a member of the Majlis Budget and Planning Commission Hadi Qavami told the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) on 1 De...

    Volume: 56
    Issue: 49
    Published at Fri, 06 Dec 2013
  17. GCC Growth ‘Robust’ Despite Geopolitical, Economic Headwinds-IMF

    ...ojects are implemented and private sector confidence remains high. For 2014, the IMF projects an increase in oil production, which, coupled with steady non-oil growth, would yield an overall GDP growth rate of just over 4%.  Curbing Energy Consumption Absent policy reforms, the IMF expects GCC do...

    Volume: 56
    Issue: 48
    Published at Fri, 29 Nov 2013
  18. Iran: Rohani Slams Legacy

    ...mmitments this figure rises to some $133bn, he says. The country had entered a state of “stagflation” with year-to-year inflation in late September 2013 at 43%, but falling to 36% in the year to late October 2013. Mr Rohani is targeting a fall in the inflation rate to 35% by March 2014 and 25% by March 20...

    Volume: 56
    Issue: 48
    Published at Fri, 29 Nov 2013
  19. Jordan Approves 2014 Budget, Spending Up 13%

    ...JORDAN   Jordan Approves 2014 Budget, Spending Up 13%   Jordan plans to raise its 2014 budget expenditure by 12.8% to JD8.096bn ($11.41bn at the fixed exchange rate of 1JD=$1.41) from the 2013 budget, according to the draft budget approved on 13 November. Revenue is slated to ri...

    Volume: 56
    Issue: 47
    Published at Fri, 22 Nov 2013
  20. Dubai Set To Launch Plastics Futures

    ...UAE   Dubai Set To Launch Plastics Futures   Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) announced early this week that it will launch the MENA region’s first plastics futures contract on 28 February 2014. The product to be traded is polypropylene, for which the exchange says gl...

    Volume: 56
    Issue: 47
    Published at Fri, 22 Nov 2013