Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly

Saudi Arabia’s FII: PIF and AI dominate the headlines

Comments at the Future Investment Initiative in Saudi Arabia this week suggest that the Public Investment Fund will take a step back from driving investment in the Kingdom, paving the way for greater...

30th October 2025 · 6 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Rapid Response

Saudi Arabia GDP (Q3 2025, Flash Estimate)

Saudi Arabia’s economy grew by 1.4% q/q in Q3 according to this morning flash estimate, which translated into a pick-up in the year-on-year growth rate from 3.9% in Q2 to 5.0% - the fastest pace...

30th October 2025 · 2 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack

Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack (Oct. 2025)

Our Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack has been updated with the latest data and our analysis of recent developments. We expect the Middle East and North Africa to record its fastest rate of GDP...

28th October 2025 · 1 min read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly

Saudi-US defence talks, Egypt-IMF deal, Morocco 2026 Budget

The US and Saudi Arabia have stepped up security talks ahead of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the White House next month. A full defence pact is unlikely to materialise, however, given...

23rd October 2025 · 7 mins read

Commodities Update

US sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil up the ante

On the face of it, the announcement of sanctions by the US on Rosneft and Lukoil is a major escalation in the targeting of Russia’s energy sector and could be a big enough shock to flip the global oil...

23rd October 2025 · 5 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly

Israel-Hamas ceasefire, oil slides, Tunisia’s unorthodoxy persists

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has, so far, remained intact, which could bring positive spillovers for the likes of Egypt and Jordan. More importantly, however, the war has fundamentally...

16th October 2025 · 6 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 Rapid Response

Saudi Arabia Consumer Prices (Sep. 2025)

Saudi Arabia’s headline inflation rate edged down from 2.3% y/y in August to 2.2% y/y in September, which remains weak by EM standards and, as we outlined in a Focus, we think that inflation will ease...

15th October 2025 · 2 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly

Israel-Hamas ceasefire, Egypt heads to Washington

Israel and Hamas appear on the cusp of agreeing a long-awaited ceasefire agreement. If it holds, this puts the region on a path to end the war and removes key downside risks to the Middle East’s...

9th October 2025 · 8 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Update

PMIs: Gulf non-oil sectors end Q3 on a strong footing

Gulf non-oil sectors enjoyed a strong end to Q3 but Saudi Arabia’s recent Pre-Budget Statement for 2026 reinforced our view that non-oil growth in the Kingdom will slow over 2026-27. Elsewhere, Egypt...

6th October 2025 · 2 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly

OPEC+ meeting, Saudi 2026 Budget, MENA’s debt splurge

This weekend’s OPEC+ meeting is likely to see the group agree to a further unwinding of oil production cuts in November, with some suggestions it could be one of the most aggressive moves yet...

2nd October 2025 · 7 mins read

Emerging Markets Economics Update

Fiscal realities now biting in some major oil producers

The 2026 budgets announced in Russia and Saudi Arabia in the past week point to significant fiscal tightening following declines in oil revenues and budget blowouts this year. Pressures for fiscal...

2nd October 2025 · 4 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Economics Update

Saudi forced to step up austerity as low oil prices bite

Following the publication of Saudi Arabia's full 2026 Budget today, we have provided this updated analysis Saudi Arabia officially approved its 2026 Budget earlier today and, while the headline...

30th September 2025 (Updated 2nd December 2025) · 5 mins read

Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack

Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack (Sep. '25)

Our Middle East & North Africa Economics Chart Pack has been updated with the latest data and our analysis of recent developments. The Middle East and North Africa is set to record its fastest GDP...

26th September 2025 · 1 min read