Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Low oil prices force Neom to be scaled back Reports that the Saudi government will significantly scale back its ambitions for Neom are not a surprise as low oil prices bite. Capital expenditure always bears the brunt of Saudi fiscal... 26th January 2026 · 3 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update The implications of fraying Saudi-UAE ties Frictions between the UAE and Saudi Arabia have broken out into the open in the last few weeks. But even if the situation were to escalate, the near-term economic impact would probably be limited. If... 22nd January 2026 · 5 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt’s growing banking risks don’t raise alarm bells yet Vulnerabilities in Egypt’s banking sector look high by EM standards, but there are signs that these risks should ease and the banking sector has large capital buffers. Perhaps the bigger issue is that... 21st January 2026 · 3 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update UAE’s growth to ease but will continue to lead the Gulf The UAE’s economy enjoyed another strong year in 2025. Rising oil output will continue to support headline GDP growth over the coming quarters. And while there are signs that that activity in the rest... 15th January 2026 · 3 mins read
Commodities Update Iran instability a bigger headache than Venezuela The risks to the oil market from growing instability in Iran are much greater than in Venezuela. This is not only because Iran produces much more oil itself, but there are also a greater number of... 14th January 2026 · 4 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Protests in Iran: the economic and oil market implications It’s unclear how the protests that have spread across Iran will develop and how they will affect the ruling regime and the oil sector. But the prospect of disruption to Iranian energy output presents... 12th January 2026 · 6 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Saudi back in the US camp, for now Improved relations between Saudi Arabia and the US since President Trump returned to office, as well as recent agreements in the areas of AI-related technologies and defence, mean that we are shifting... 6th January 2026 · 8 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Saudi’s non-oil economy faces growing headwinds in 2026 The Saudi economy has been boosted by the unwinding of oil output cuts this year and this will continue over the coming quarters, but a step up in fiscal consolidation efforts means that overall GDP... 10th December 2025 · 3 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt’s balance sheet risks high but likely to recede Egypt’s devaluation and shift back towards macro orthodoxy 18 months ago have put the economy back on the path towards restoring macroeconomic stability. The situation is still very fragile – Egypt... 24th November 2025 · 4 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Egypt’s central bank still has room to cut in 2026 The Central Bank of Egypt’s (CBE’s) monetary easing cycle has been stop-start and with headline inflation rising in recent months, last night’s decision to keep interest rates on hold was not a... 21st November 2025 · 2 mins read
Commodities Update Unpacking the key unknowns that will drive peak oil A growing divergence in views on the trajectory of oil demand over the next 25 years – and whether demand will even reach a peak during this period – partly reflects the reduction in political support... 17th November 2025 · 4 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Saudi’s worsening twin deficits reinforce need for austerity Saudi Arabia’s twin budget and current account deficits have widened on the back of low oil export receipts and this trend is likely to continue over the coming quarters. While the adjustment to low... 5th November 2025 · 5 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Qatar’s weak bank lending to persist Qatar has experienced a multi-year slowdown in credit growth and, in contrast to the past decade or so, lending is now expanding at a weaker pace than in the rest of the Gulf. We expect domestic... 23rd October 2025 · 4 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Saudi: fiscal tightening to drive growth slowdown in 2026 The Saudi economy has been boosted by the unwinding of oil output cuts this year and this will continue over the coming quarters, but a step up in fiscal consolidation efforts means that overall GDP... 15th October 2025 · 3 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update The geopolitical ramifications of the Gaza peace plan The war in Gaza has fundamentally re-shaped geopolitics in the Middle East. Iran and Russia (and, indirectly, China) are nursing blows to their power in the region, which has created space for the US... 15th October 2025 · 5 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Tunisia between a rock and a hard place A surge in olive oil exports and a rebound in tourist arrivals, alongside Gulf and EU financial support, have helped to stave off a balance of payments crisis in Tunisia. But with the dinar... 13th October 2025 · 4 mins read
