Mark Townsend

Economic reforms are hampered by worries they might undo the tacit cradle-to-grave social compact between the monarchy and Saudi citizens that provides a safety net in return for political stability. 

The new prime minister’s resolve to tackle runaway government salaries faces an early test.

In an announcement on April 13, SoftBank cited a “deteriorating market environment” as the explanation for the abysmal results at its $100 billion Vision Fund. 

The postponing of major global events such as Dubai’s Expo 2020 and this year’s Tokyo Olympic Games will hit host economies hard.

A new IMF funding package and anticipated economic reforms offer a ray of hope for the kingdom’s battered economy.  

A sluggish economy, high debt burden and tensions among its neighbors challenge the new leader’s ambitious development plans.  

Russia and Saudi Arabia are boosting oil output at a time of falling demand.

Airlines across Europe, the US, Middle East and Asia slashed capacity and mothballed aircraft in a bid to stave off bankruptcy.

Experts are questioning the structure and true purpose of Indonesia's new sovereign wealth fund.

UAE may become an even bigger player in the gas markets in the near future.

Guyana may soon become one of the top 10 oil producers in the world.

President Trump replaces NAFTA with a new trade agreement.

Blockchain is making inroads with mainstream financial institutions.

Sri Lanka's new president may be a strong man, but can he strengthen the economy?

Another real-world use for blockchain.

World economic growth is increasingly driven by Brazil, Russia, China and India.

The Arab Spring continues in Algeria.

Putting the war-ravaged country back together will cost $400 billion. With Assad still in power and US sanctions still in place, who will foot the bill—and reap the benefit? 

Iraq’s new government must push reconstruction forward, pull in new foreign investment and produce results for a battered population. Its time is limited.

As the region’s oil-and-gas dominance faces new challenges, the monarchies are betting that foreign capital will help carry their economies into a more stable, diversified future.  

Nations compete for foreign direct investment.

Smartphone-only bank makes a splash in the US.

OPEC is trying to bolster oil prices but Gulf economies will take a hit from a production cut.

China's rise is contested by other powers.

​IBM makes a bold move.

Blockchain technology is going mainstream.

Microlending boom goes bust.

Enticing foreign investors is urgent for the suddenly reformist Saudi government. But will it push economic reform far enough, fast enough?

Abraaj's collapse raises fresh questions about transparency and regulatory norms in the UAE and broader Middle East.

Tech innovator's career trajectory shows ingenuity isn't without risk.

China may soon have to tap foreign investors to help fund its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. Can it ease their skepticism about the project?  

Malaysian election may mean near-term volatility in economic policy and performance.

As Asia ditches cash for digital wallets, more citizens are able to join the financial economy—and they are delighted.

Egypt's new sovereign wealth fund is not all it's cracked up to be.

Southeast Asian nations are benefiting from the return of global growth, with more room to grow capacity and exports—even as wages trend upward.

While enjoying robust growth and launching big infrastructure plans, The Philippines face potential inflation and growing trade deficits.

Yi Gang's appointment as governor of the People’s Bank of China a sign of policy continuity.

Beijing's top central banker is retiring. With no successor named yet, the rumor mill starts churning.

The newly anointed heir to the Saudi throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is planning a mega tourism project that could possibly contribute 15 billion riyal ($4 billion) to the kingdom’s GDP and create up to 35,000 jobs. 

New approaches to labor management can help GCC economies wean themselves away from their energy dependence.

New regulatory demands are changing banking relationships and, combined with rapid technological change, squeezing transaction banks in the Middle East and North Africa.

The appointment of Nestor Espenilla Jr. as governor of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is one of President Rodrigo Duterte’s less controversial decisions and may ease investor concerns over the stability of one of Southeast Asia’s fastest growing economies.

The world’s largest sovereign wealth fund increasingly engages in activism over the governance of companies it invests in.

The Middle East is fertile ground for public-private partnerships, especially for infrastructure investment, but legal and economic conditions remain an obstacle, and governments are skeptical about PPP benefits for long-term projects. 

A dollar of infrastructure investment can raise GDP by 20 cents by boosting productivity, according to the McKinsey Global Institute.

Wins by Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi’s ruling party in the month of March indicates strong support for his challenging reform plans

Last year the Gulf emirate of Dubai seized 1.6 billion dirham ($437 million) in counterfeit goods—a signal that the trading center has shed its reputation as a hub for illicit merchandise.

IBM has announced a blockchain initiative in the UAE for a trade finance and logistics project with Dubai Customs and Dubai Trade.

Which countries lead the global knowledge economy? At least one academic suggests that current assessments of a country’s knowledge base are too narrow and reliant on averages. In research to be presented in April at INSEAD, Kai Chan argues that a nation's brightest talent—not its average capabilities—determine its knowledge capacity.

Some saw November’s decision by OPEC to cut crude oil production as a turning point in the cartel’s credibility, but many question the durability of the deal.