The raft of quarterly GDP data released over the past month confirmed that the MENA region rebounded at the start of this year and more timely figures suggest that the recovery is gathering momentum. Saudi Arabia pulled out of recession and Egypt’s cyclical upturn strengthened in Q1. Meanwhile, the whole economy PMIs suggest that recent fiscal stimulus has bolstered activity in non-oil sectors in the Gulf. Oil sectors should also pick up as output rises following revisions to the OPEC deal. Our GDP growth forecasts for 2018-19 for the region as a whole lie above the consensus.
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