Latest articles from Middle East

Hussain Al Qemzi

Noor Islamic Bank pushes Islamic finance towards maturity

November 7, 2012

Islamic finance is increasingly being viewed as a credible alternative to conventional finance, but Hussain Al-Qemzi, group chief executive of Dubai-based Noor Investment Group and chief executive of Noor Islamic Bank, recognises that Islamic institutions must work together if they are to compete with conventional banks.

Islamic finance looks to pastures new

Islamic finance looks to pastures new

November 7, 2012

To maintain its phenomenal growth rates, Islamic finance is increasingly looking beyond sukuk and property investment to growth areas such as renewable energy and healthcare. 

TopIslamicTeaser

The struggle to find the right Islamic banking model

November 7, 2012

The steady growth of sharia-compliant assets suggests banks believe in the future of the sector, but the dismantling of the largest cross-border Islamic window raises questions about whether global banking groups can make a success of the business.

Malaysia's central bank

Malaysia sets Islamic finance example

November 7, 2012

Malaysia leads the world in providing a sharia-compliant environment for savings. CIMB Islamic's Badlisyah Abdul Ghani charts the rise of Islamic finance since its founding in the country 50 years ago.

Gulf three-way asset management traffic

The Gulf's three-way asset management traffic

October 1, 2012

The financial centres of Bahrain, Dubai and Qatar dominate the Gulf's economic sphere and despite some major regulatory changes, the region as a whole is becoming more attractive to international asset managers in search of investable wealth.

Resilience underpins Arab banks

Top Arab banks ranking, 2012

October 1, 2012

Arab banks offset the turmoil of the Arab Spring and offered a robust performance in 2011 with impressive growth across the key financial indicators. And with minimal exposure to the eurozone crisis, the region's banks are expected to continue their recovery from the global financial crisis.

Banque du Liban’s reaps rewards from national payment system upgrade

October 1, 2012

Lebanon’s central bank recently went live with a national payment scheme. Ali Nahle, senior executive director and head of the IT department, talks about its success and discusses the national clearing house and government payment scheme, which are next on the agenda.

Suma Chakrabarti TEASER

Why the EBRD is extending its reach

September 3, 2012

The EBRD has taken on a new region of operation at a time of unprecedented economic turbulence, but it has the resources and experience to make investments that can help transform troubled economies.

Cause for optimism in Lebanon's banking sector

September 3, 2012

After performing admirably in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, the growth of Lebanon's banks dramatically slowed. The Arab Spring uprisings in the Middle East and north Africa last year further unsettled the country's financial sector, but, as leading figures from its banks explain, there is still a great deal of room for optimism.

Abdullah Saud Al-Thani TEASER

Qatar Central Bank moves closer to its goal

September 3, 2012

With the same proactive approach that allowed the country to steer clear of the worst of the global economic crisis, Qatar's central bank is preparing the country's banks sector for regulatory pressures ahead, while ensuring they can meet the large-scale funding requirements that come with the country hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.