Middle East Insight

How the Wall Street gloom affects the Middle East
Since the start of the year the modest four per cent rise in the Dow Jones Index over the course of 2007 has been wiped out, and a bearish mood now hangs over Wall Street. Analysts seem to have finally woken up to the reality of a US recession and investors are beginning to reckon the consequences.
Middle East: Monday, January 14 - 2008 at 12:14

GCC common market: boon or bust for Gulf?
The introduction of the GCC common market, which went into effect on January 1, paves the way for the free movement of labour and capital among the six member states and removes barriers to inter-GCC trade. The agreement offers many potential benefits for both businesses and consumers, but it will take time for much of its impact to kick in, and it will require cooperation among the member countries to achieve the full promise of the agreement.
Middle East: Sunday, January 06 - 2008 at 13:42 |

Making a success of the GCC common market
The Gulf Cooperation Council common market launched on January 1st and has many attributes that are similar to the original European Economic Community, forerunner of the European Union and the European single currency. Like the EU the GCC is primarily an economic and not a political body.
Middle East: Wednesday, January 02 - 2008 at 10:42

How will the credit crisis impact the GCC in 2008?
From August 9 the global banking system has been in crisis with US sub-prime lending against falling house prices, causing a seizure in credit markets. Last week saw a $500bn injection of money into the global capital markets by central banks to jump start the banking system. But what does this crisis mean for the GCC?
Middle East: Monday, December 24 - 2007 at 08:56

The Middle East's 40 largest public companies
The Middle East invokes different regions to many people. British diplomats in the 19th century who first coined the term thought of the Levant, Palestine and Egypt as the Near East and of India and China as the Far East so the Middle East was Arabia, Persia and the other bits in between.
Middle East: Sunday, December 23 - 2007 at 13:29

Hollywood comes to the Middle East
With stars such as George Clooney and Sharon Stone gracing the red carpet at the Dubai International Film Festival this week, it has put the spotlight on the movie business in the Middle East.
Middle East: Wednesday, December 12 - 2007 at 12:59 |

GCC summit focus on politics not inflation and revaluation
The GCC summit in Doha this week failed to address key economic issues such as currency reform and inflation, and instead focused on a rapprochement with neighboring Iran, admittedly a major trading partner for the six countries.
Qatar: Wednesday, December 05 - 2007 at 08:45 |

Shariah-compliant hotels rise in the Gulf
Everywhere you look in the Middle East there are hotels rising out of the sand. While most are designed to appeal to the hordes of western tourists and business people who are flocking to the Gulf, there are an increasing number of hotels being aimed squarely at Arabs and Muslims.
Middle East: Monday, December 03 - 2007 at 00:16 |