GULF COUNTRIES
Analyst
Justin Alexander
Former Economic Advisor, Qatar Finance MinistryDatabanks
Recent Country Insights
GULF WEEKLY: Allies rally around Qatar, OPEC+ hikes production, UAE posts H1 fiscal surplus
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 12 Sep 2025
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Oil rose despite the decision by OPEC+ to begin tapering the May 2023 voluntary cuts. * Revised compensation plans from Kazakhstan postpone its cuts for overproduction until 2026. * An IMF study found that FDI in the GCC ...
QATAR: Israeli airstrike on Hamas villa in Doha
GULF COUNTRIES · In Brief · 09 Sep 2025
UPDATE: A Qatari security officer was killed. This significantly increases the stakes. Meanwhile, although some Hamas members were killed, the senior leaders were not. At about 4pm local time today, an Israeli airstrike targeted the residence of Hamas's political office in the West Bay Lagoon nei...
GULF WEEKLY: KSA and Bahrain issue sukuk, MBS and MBZ meet, the UAE speaks out against West Bank annexation
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 05 Sep 2025
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Oil dipped to $65 on rumors that OPEC+ may hike production again at a meeting on Sunday. * The Saudi and Emirati leaders, MBS and MBZ, met in Riyadh to discuss Palestine and bilateral relations. * Trump has offered NY may...
GULF WEEKLY: Kuwait capex cuts narrowed the deficit, UAE plans free trade partnership, UN sanctions on Iran to snap back
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 29 Aug 2025 · 1 response
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * European countries started the process of implementing “snapback” UN sanctions on Iran. * Saudi banks sold $2.25bn in 10-year Tier 2 bonds, one of them green. * Humain broke ground on its first data centers and launched a...
GULF WEEKLY: Saudi Arabia may pass on the 2029 Asian Winter games, Oman’s deficit continues in Q2, Bahrain awards shale exploration concession
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 22 Aug 2025
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * The UAE and Saudi Arabia ranked top, after the US, in a global index of AI compute resources. * Chinese computer firm Lenovo is the latest to announce plans for a Regional HQ in Riyadh. * Saudi Arabia may transfer hosting...
GULF WEEKLY: Dubai’s Q1 GDP ahead of Bahrain's, $11bn Jafurah deal, PIF’s assets pass $0.9trn
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 15 Aug 2025
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * Oil awaited the Trump-Putin meeting. A global plastics treaty, which threatened demand, collapsed. * The UAE retained top place globally in greenfield FDI attractiveness; Bahrain and Qatar improved. * Saudi manufacturing ...
Chartbook and economic review
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 12 Aug 2025 · 1 response
This chartbook and economic review provides a snapshot of the GCC across 17 slides. It starts with an overview of key themes impacting the region in recent months—such as tariffs, oil market trends and dollar weakness. There are comparative graphs of some of the key economic and market indicators...
GULF WEEKLY: OPEC+ hikes again, IMF Saudi Art IV, Kuwait’s finance minister resigns, Israel to fully occupy Gaza
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 08 Aug 2025
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * OPEC+ hiked allocations for September by 547k b/d, fully unwinding the Jan-24 voluntary cuts. * Brent crude dipped midweek to a two-month low of $65 on the OPEC+ hike and US-Russia news. * MBZ visited Moscow as Putin said...
GULF WEEKLY: Saudi deficit narrows and GDP accelerates, Oman records strong FDI, UK will recognize Palestine
GULF COUNTRIES · Report · 01 Aug 2025
A skimmable summary overlaid with our analysis and links. Headlines: * US tariffs on GCC states are remaining at 10%, providing a competitive edge on some other states. * The Saudi deficit narrowed to -3% of GDP in Q2, mainly due to a seasonal rise in tax revenue. * There was a record $36bn ...