Middle East

The first installment of a Global Finance FAQ web series on Islamic finance.

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

The drive to innovate is getting stronger as countries look to ease their reliance on oil revenues.

Innovative airline uses technology from NASA and Mercedes-Benz to elevate customer experience.

Wave of change sweeping Saudi Arabia finally hits the banking sector.

As Islamic banking spreads, service providers continue to develop new tools and products to meet the wide-ranging financial needs of the world’s Muslims.

Arab Bank CEO Nemeh Sabbagh talks about the bank’s regional strength and its digital platform for corporate clients.

Global Finance gives readers insight into the providers delivering Shariah-complaint solutions that meet the needs of sophisticated customers with complex needs.

Saudi Arabia's ambitious solar power plan—powered by money from Japan's Softbank—isn't just a money-making exercise given the country's rising electricity demands.

Global Finance gives readers insight into the providers delivering Shariah-complaint solutions that meet the needs of sophisticated customers with complex needs.

Credit growth picks up: Wider interest margins lift bank earnings, but problem loans creep higher.

Islamic scholar in Indonesia says Bitcoin is compatible with Islamic law.

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

Across the Middle East, where more than half of the population is under the age of 24, educational systems are strained and unemployment rates are high. Even in the oil-rich Gulf, fiscal pressures from lower hydrocarbon revenues are forcing governments to cut back on the largesse their citizens have come to expect.

Amid talks of a merger between is bank and two others, Omar Bouhadiba, managing director International Bank of Qatar (IBQ), talks about the domestic market, mitigating impacts of the blockade, banking innovations and what-if scenarios.

Qatar National Bank (QNB) CEO Ali Ahmed Al-Kuwari says the bank’s sound economic fundamentals and regional diversification aspirations have helped it withstand the impact of Saudi sanctions on Qatar.

High-speed 5G networks and Cloud data centers are giving digital efforts across the region a big boost.

In late June, when women are finally allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, many observers predict an uptick in economic activity. 

Qatar, cornered by neighbors in a blockade, has since become more economically diversified and self-sufficient—and as a result, more independent.        

The Middle East is striving to adapt to rapid economic and social change—with some success.