Gulf bond markets: issuers take advantage of strong demand amid rising geopolitical tensions

Gulf bond markets: issuers take advantage of strong demand amid rising geopolitical tensions

The six Gulf Arab states, incorporating several of the biggest, and wealthiest, players in the global oil and gas markets, cannot seem to stop selling debt. And investors, hunting for yield in a global low rates environment, are driving demand for more bond issues from the region. Despite the recent escalation in geopolitical tensions, issuance is likely to remain strong but restricted to sovereign or state-owned entities, able to borrow more cheaply.

Russia’s role in the Middle East: a stabilizing force?

Russia’s role in the Middle East: a stabilizing force?

Russia has successfully leveraged its influence in Syria to become an important, if not central, power broker in the Middle East. Nowhere was that more visible than in the meeting between the Israeli, US and Russian national security advisors in Jerusalem at the end of June 2019. While nothing concrete emerged from the talks, it was clear from the security chiefs’ statements that all three countries are setting the stage to stabilize the region, drawing a line under the tectonic shifts that have transformed the Middle East in the last decade.