GULF COUNTRIES
Analyst
Justin Alexander
Former Economic Advisor, Qatar Finance MinistryDatabanks
Recent Country Insights
GULF WEEKLY: Oil hits $70 despite Iranian strikes, Saudi current account surplus, tourism rebounds in Oman and Bahrain
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 02 Jul 2026
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * The first US-Iran clashes since the MoU was signed took place, but ended with talks in Doha. * A deal on staged Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, a key Iranian condition, was brokered by the US. * Hormuz transits picked up...
GCC tour reflections and outlook slide deck
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 02 Jul 2026
This report includes my latest slide deck on the war impact and outlook, along with impressions from my two-week tour of the GCC on the local mood, including attitudes towards the US, Iran and other Gulf states.
GULF WEEKLY: Oil back to pre-war level, Qatar suffers major gas accident, Bahrain’s FX reserves slide
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 26 Jun 2026 · 1 response
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Oil dipped to $72, its pre-war level, as Hormuz transits picked up, despite an attack on a cargo ship. * US-Iran talks at a Qatari hotel in Switzerland seemed to make some progress. * Gulf foreign ministers engaged with I...
GULF WEEKLY: Oil flows after US-Iran MoU, Kuwait and Qatar expect quite rapid restarts, Moody’s affirms Sharjah
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 18 Jun 2026
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Transits have picked up through Hormuz, and prices dropped to $78 after the US-Iran MoU. * The 14-point deal offers Iran sanctions relief, unfreezing of assets and a $300bn fund. * The IEA sees oil demand falling by over ...
GULF WEEKLY: Oil drops on deal hopes, Saudi companies postpone IPOs, Oman oil output up 10%
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 12 Jun 2026 · 1 response
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Trump claimed yet again that an Iran deal is imminent; betting markets see a 50% chance by end-June, and Brent dropped to $86, the lowest since early March. * If there is a breakthrough, with talk of a potential signing th...
GULF WEEKLY: Kuwait airport hit in resumed fighting, PMIs rise in Saudi Arabia and UAE, Bahrain issues bond
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 05 Jun 2026
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Hopes for a US-Iran deal receded amidst tit-for-tat exchanges of fire and conflict in Lebanon. * An Iranian drone hit Terminal 1 of Kuwait airport, killing a passenger and injuring 63. * The UAE and Saudi Arabia ranked se...
GULF WEEKLY: Oil eases on deal hopes, rating agencies affirm four states, Qatar Q1 deficit at 5% of GDP
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 29 May 2026
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Oil fell to $91 as hopes grew for an Iran deal; Trump said a “final determination” will happen today. * This followed a week when Iranian leaders held talks in Qatar, but the US and Iran exchanged fire. * Lebanon could be...
GULF WEEKLY: Qatar steps in to mediate, UK-GCC FTA signed, Oman records small Q1 deficit
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 22 May 2026
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Trump paused assault plans as Qatar and other Gulf states stepped in to mediate with Iran. * This came after Iran formally launched its “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” to administer transits. * A drone launched from Iraq ...
GULF WEEKLY: Oil rises on new Iranian attacks, Saudi manufacturing resilient in March, UAE to expand bypass pipeline
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 15 May 2026 · 1 response
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Brent oil is back at $110 amidst more attacks on shipping, despite some Hormuz transits. * There were new Iranian strikes on the UAE and Kuwait, as well as ships near Qatar and Oman. * Trump called Iran’s latest proposal ...