Middle East & Africa Emerging Markets RSS

The latest news, expert analysis and commentary on country-specific and regional economic, investing and policy trends across the Middle East and Africa, including North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Gulf States, Iran and Iraq from Emerging Markets.

  • Ice Cold in Alex (and Cairo)

    22 Feb 2012

    Egypt has been the biggest gainer in global equities so far this year, despite the country’s dire situation – but investors there may be less delusional than some

  • One view on the Iran-Israel nuclear fallout

    17 Feb 2012

    A Middle Eastern analyst waxes lyrical about the uncomfortably fat tail risk of military conflict with Iran.

  • Egypt sukuk: deal or no deal

    15 Feb 2012

    After Western aid fails to come through, Egypt is attempting to tap the sukuk market to plug its financing gap - but getting a deal off the ground will be easier said than done

  • Revealed: the missing 25% of Angola's GDP

    25 Jan 2012

    The IMF has uncovered that a $32 billion accounting discrepancy in Angola's budget is linked to state oil firm Sonangol. A massive shift in Luanda's institutional framework and political culture is needed to weed out fiscal slippage.

  • Ominous omen: Israel cuts rates

    23 Jan 2012

    The move by Israeli central bank governor Stanley Fischer, a renowned monetary policy prophet, sugggests further rate cuts across EM

  • Jan 20: Green shoots vs. yellow weeds

    20 Jan 2012

    The apparent decoupling between asset markets – EM equities, in particular - and continued macro stress this week is a source of optimism for some and fear for others. Take your pick.

  • Saudi Arabia’s $100 crude bombshell

    17 Jan 2012

    Saudi Arabia’s move to keep oil prices at $100 a barrel highlights fiscal concerns and could have profound regional and global implications

  • Egypt-IMF negotiations: this time it’s different

    16 Jan 2012

    The odds of a balance-of-payments crisis in Egypt are uncomfortably high, despite talks this week between the capital-starved nation and the IMF

  • Subsidy backlash highlights Nigeria policy bind

    16 Jan 2012

    The Nigerian government has partially reinstated fuel subsidies, throwing into sharp relief the limitations of its reformist push

EM Week


In Focus: Eastern Europe

  1. Eurozone deleveraging threatens CEE growth

  2. Malev turbulence set to roil Hungarian state finances

  3. Romania 'risks losing investor credibility'

  4. Hungary: a temporary hiatus