Fostering an innovative and competitive financial services sector requires a forward-thinking central bank to establish a strong regulatory framework.
Middle East
Latest articles from Middle East
World
/ Middle East
/ Kuwait
Kuwaiti banks’ ROA hit by oil price drop
November 4, 2021National Bank of Kuwait, the largest bank in the country, saw return on assets fall to 0.87% in 2020.
World
/ Middle East
/ Bahrain
Pandemic hits pre-tax profits at Bahrain’s banks
October 29, 2021Two of the four largest lenders in the Gulf country posted a loss last year.
World
/ Middle East
/ Jordan
Diverging paths of NPLs at Jordanian banks
October 28, 2021Arab Bank, the country’s largest lender, saw bad loans increase to 6.8% of its total loan book in 2020, while Jordan Islamic Bank, the fourth-largest bank by assets, saw its NPL ratio drop to 2.6%.
World
/ Middle East
/ Israel
Mortgages at Israeli banks rise amid ongoing house price boom
October 25, 2021Mizrahi Tefahot Bank, the country’s third largest lender by assets, saw its mortgage book expand by 24% year on year in 2020.
Vision 2030 projects drive Saudi loan growth
October 13, 2021The country’s two largest banks saw gross total loans increase by about 37% between 2016 and 2020.
GCC capital markets hope for watershed year
October 4, 2021After a period of decline and delisting for the region’s exchanges — apart from Saudi Arabia — hopes are now high of a rebound.
World
/ Middle East
/ Oman
Double whammy hits Omani banks’ ROE
September 27, 2021The National Bank of Oman saw return on equity fall to 3.4% last year from 9.3% in 2019.
Incentivising UAE’s fintech boom
September 15, 2021Financial services foreign direct investment rose in 2020 despite the pandemic and has remained robust this year on the back of generous state support.
Loan growth steady at UAE banks
August 25, 2021The central bank implemented targeted support measures last year to ease pressure on companies and provide banks with liquidity.
