LATEST ECONOMIC BRIEFINGS
EMIRATES: ABU DHABI | 02.09.2010
Regulations enforcing higher capital standards in the UAE’s overcrowded insurance market have reduced the amount of insurance brokers, while slower growth in commercial business means the sector is looking to opportunities in the retail segment.
BAHRAIN | 30.08.2010
Bahrain is working hard to bolster its medical services, investing in new facilities and looking to increase the number of trained health professionals, though a rapidly growing population and an increase in lifestyle-related illnesses will continue to add to the demands placed on the nation’s health care resources.
BULGARIA | 30.08.2010
Prospective investors took note when it was announced in late July 2010 that Bulgaria’s largest steelmaker, Kremikovtzi, will be up for sale in mid-September 2010. The news comes four months after the company went into liquidation and a year after major creditors refused to approve a rescue plan for the ailing company.
EGYPT | 30.08.2010
The Egyptian Exchange 30 (EGX30), Cairo’s main stock market index, has had something of a volatile year in 2010, as it rallied through the first quarter, declined through much of the second and began to stage a moderate recovery in the third.
KUWAIT | 30.08.2010
Despite its relatively small population, Kuwait is firmly placed among the world’s most attractive and popular markets for international retail franchises. With a strong consumer and shopping culture and a young, growing and affluent population with an affinity for international brands, Kuwait offers an attractive market for leading retailers seeking to expand their footprint.
COUNTRY COVERAGE
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Oxford Business Group's series of publications are renowned as the leading source of economic information for nearly 30 countries across The Middle East, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Caribbean.
Available in both print and electronic format, these Reports are the most extensive independent, unbiased and accurate intelligence available anywhere. They are written by a team of analysts who are based on the ground for six months every year and the result of hundreds of interviews making them unrivalled in the market.
LATEST PUBLICATIONS
The Report: Abu Dhabi 2010
Abu Dhabi not only weathered the global economic slowdown of 2008-09 better than most, it actually managed to come out ahead in many sectors, due to prudent governance. Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, the guiding framework for all economic growth in the emirate, set as its aims diversification of the economy away from hydrocarbons, an increasing focus on education in order to create a knowledge-based economy, and improved transport infrastructure, all helped by an increasing focus on foreign direct investment. The emirate looks set to continue its sustained growth with many different kinds of investor incentives in place and in the works.
The Report: Bahrain 2010
Long a leader in the Gulf in sectors ranging from industry and banking to education and Islamic finance, Bahrain has continued to build on the success of its economic development and diversification programme despite the global slowdown. The Kingdom has been highly ranked by leading international organisations, including the World Economic Forum and the World Bank, for its business environment, a fact that has not escaped the attention of investors around the world.
The Report: Jordan 2010
In a volatile region, Jordan has built a reputation for political stability and conflict mediation. Its national health and education systems rank among the Levant’s best, endowing the Kingdom with a distinct competitive advantage in terms of human resources. Lacking the substantial oil reserves of its neighbours, Jordan has focused on developing the non-hydrocarbons side of its economy, including tourism and ICT, and is exploring alternative energy sources.
