GULF COUNTRIES
Analyst
Justin Alexander
Former Economic Advisor, Qatar Finance MinistryDatabanks
Recent Country Insights
GULF WEEKLY: Kuwait suspends parliament, Emirates makes record profit, Moody’s hikes Bahrain deficit, UAE sends $14bn to Egypt
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 17 May 2024
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * OPEC has shifted its core unit of analysis in its oil market reports to OPEC+ for the first time. * Half of Rafah’s population has been displaced, and Israel’s cabinet argued over postwar planning. * UK-GCC free trade tal...
GULF WEEKLY: Saudi Q1 deficit, UAE trade talks with New Zealand, Israel assaults Rafah and bans Al Jazeera
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 10 May 2024
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * OPEC+ for the first time published a compensation plan for countries exceeding their quotas. * Israel began its Rafah assault, despite US opposition, after rejecting a Hamas ceasefire proposal. * Israel banned Qatari news...
GULF WEEKLY: UAE boosts oil capacity, ADQ’s inaugural bond, Saudi non-oil growth slows, Oman awards green hydrogen blocks
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 03 May 2024
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Oil had its worst week in six months, dipping by about -7% on weak data and worries about rates. * Another Gaza ceasefire/hostage deal is being considered, but Netanyahu says he will assault Rafah anyway. * S&P warns that...
GULF WEEKLY: Abu Dhabi issues $5bn bonds, transport drives UAE Q3 GDP, Saudi hosts Iranian pilgrims, Oman & UAE sign investment deals
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 26 Apr 2024 · 1 response
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Saudi Arabia hosted the first formal Iranian Umrah pilgrimage in nine years. * Saudi Arabia lifted its borrowing plan by $14bn, implying a larger than budgeted deficit. * PIF is investing in Saudi Telecom’s tower assets a...
GULF WEEKLY: Floods batter Gulf, Israel-Iran clash may be over, Microsoft invests $1.5bn in G42, Kuwait has a new PM
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 19 Apr 2024
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: *Iran and Israel exchanged carefully calibrated attacks and have hopefully come to a pause. *Oil prices briefly spiked today on the Israeli attack but settled after more details emerged. *The US vetoed Palestinian UN member...
The limited Iranian strikes at Israel were as expected, the next steps are more uncertain
GULF COUNTRIES · In Brief · 14 Apr 2024 · 1 response
Last night, April 13, Iran launched around 300 drones and missiles toward Israel. These are significant as the first attacks from Iranian territory (and possibly by Iranian forces directly) in nearly a half-century of enmity. Until now, Iran has merely provided support to allies across the region...
GULF WEEKLY: Oil rises alongside Iran-Israel tensions, Bahrain releases GDP and prisoners, Kuwait in confusion over government formation
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 12 Apr 2024
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Brent crude hit a six-month high of $92, driven by geopolitics, but the IEA cut its demand forecast. * Countries including Saudi Arabia, Germany and Russia urged Iran not to retaliate against Israel. * Comments by an Irania...
GULF WEEKLY: S&P puts Oman on Positive outlook, opposition maintains majority in Kuwaiti elections, Abu Dhabi records strong Q4 GDP, oil touches $91.
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 05 Apr 2024 · 1 response
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Brent crude has risen to $91, the highest since October, partial due to regional tensions. * Israeli airstrikes hit the Iranian embassy in Syria and killed Western aid workers in Gaza. * The UAE and Saudi Arabia were the ...
GULF WEEKLY: Saudi green bond framework, Oman Q4 GDP, Gaza talks in Qatar paused after UN resolution
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 28 Mar 2024
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * The UN demanded a Gaza ceasefire but the war continues, and hostage talks in Qatar paused. * Although the US permitted the UN resolution, it passed a budget with aid for Israel's military and none for UNRWA. * GCC banks ...