Middle East ETF News Older than One Year
Moody's downgrades Bahrain's sovereign ratings to A3
August 23, 2010--Moody's Investors Service has today downgraded Bahrain's local and foreign currency government bond ratings to A3 from A2. The outlook on these ratings is now stable.
Today's rating action was motivated by the following factors:
1.) A gradual but significant rise in the breakeven oil price in the Bahraini budget over recent years. This, together with a relatively modest level of official financial assets, has led to a divergence between the government's fiscal flexibility and that of rating peers.
Source: AME Info
Kuwait Stock Exchange dips slightly
August 23, 2010--The KSE Market or Price Index finished 0.16% lower at 6,674.7 points. The performance of National Bank of Kuwait (NBK, up 1.47% at KD1.380) proofs that this is a good time for stock pickers, despite market trading sideways for weeks.
NBK rose to the highest level since November 2008 when the global financial crisis hit the GCC. Bahrain's Islamic Bank Ithmaar'recovery was halted Monday as its shares lost 3.8%, closing at KD0.037.
Source: AME Info
Qatar market gains slightly
August 23, 2010--The QE Index closed 0.27% higher at 7,198.65 points on Monday. Trading volumes edged up by 47% as 6.4m stock changed hands in Doha. Industries Qatar ended flat at QR102.
Banks mostly gained value, as Qatar Islamic Bank closed 1.58% higher at QR77.20. Doha Bank finished up 0.86% at QR46.90. Al-Ahli bank failed to jump on the bandwagon as ist shares weakened 1.43% at QR55.00.
Source: AME Info
Saudi Tadawul bourse adds a quarter percent
Augus 23, 2010--The energy and utiliies sector index (up 2.39%) was the main driving force behind the Tadawul market's advance of 0.26% on Monday. Saudi Electricity surged 2.59% at SR13.85.
The Kingdom aims to invest $80bn in order to double ist power capacity until 2020. Saudi Arabia's Knowledge Economic City (KEC) and closed 1.69% higher at SR9.05. KEC shares were listed on August 9 at SR10.00 in a $272 IPO. Insurers and cement producers mostly last value.
Source: AME Info
Dubai Gold And Commodities Exchange Weekly Views-August 22, 2010
August 22, 2010--Commodities Overview
The release of mixed economic data in the United States pushed and pulled at many commodities prices last week. Better than expected U.S. industrial production figures for July temporarily boosted sentiment across the equity and commodities markets. However, concerns over a slowing economic recovery in the United States, Japan, and Europe capped the price gains for many industrial commodities, like crude oil and silver.
These concerns meanwhile resulted in increased demand for gold. Gold prices continued to edge higher in a choppy fashion last week. Commodities with industrial end uses came under pressure after leading indicators for the United States in July were weaker than expected. Silver and crude oil closed lower for the week. With heightened concerns over the near term global economic recovery, market participants may continue to take direction from economic reports. Economic data releases in the U.S. may continue to give mixed signals this week, with certain segments of the economy faring better than others.
Currencies Overview
After several weeks of volatile moves in the major currency markets, exchange rates were relatively range-bound last week. Shifts in investor sentiment toward safe haven currencies in the second half of last week partially offset moves seen earlier in the week. The U.S. dollar rose against most major currencies as investors' appetite for riskier assets, including stocks, continued to decline following the poor U.S. jobless-claims and manufacturing reports on 19 August. Meanwhile in Europe remarks made by the European Central Bank, indicating that they would likely wait until 2011 to begin phasing out short-term stimulus, amplified concerns about the economic recovery in that region. While the outlook for economic activity in Japan also weakened, with lower than expected gross domestic production estimates in the second quarter, demand for the yen strengthened last week.
Source: Dubai Gold And Commodities Exchange (DGCX)
Dubai market finishes the week positively
August 19, 2010--The DFM General Index ended 0.72% higher at 1,492.16 points, lifted by rebounds in the real estate sector. The industry's bellwether Emaar Properties gained 1.88%, closing at Dhs3.25.
Banks performed bullish as well, as Shuaa Capital surged 2.70% (at Dhs0.95). Dubai Ports (DP) World jumped 5.66% to $0.523. 18 shares advanced while five securities declined and five ended flat. Traded value doubled to Dhs111.4m, while 68.59m (73% higher).
Source: AME Info
Abu Dhabi bourse adds 0.42%
August 19, 2010--The ADX General Index closed at 2,506.29 points, recovering from heavy losses at the beginning of the week as the benchmark closed 10 points higher compared to the finish of last week.
National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), the emirate's largest lender, added 1.79% and finished at Dhs11.45. Its rival First Gulf Bank closed 0.36% lower at Dhs13.95.
Source: AME Info
Bahrain bourse ends slightly lower
August 19, 2010--The BSE benchmark index weakened on Thursday, as profit taking dragged the market 0.31% lower to 1,409.12 points.
Islamic bank Ithmaar lost 6.9% (at $0.135), after its shares hit a seven-week high on Tuesday. Arab Insurance Group plummeted 9.80% to $0.46.
Source: AME Info
Qatar Exchange closes slightly higher at 7, 077 points
August 18, 2010--The QE Index added 0.21% due to advances in the banks and services industry sectors. Al Khaliji Commercial Bank (up 1.96% at QR15.40)outperformed all other financial shares. Gulf Warehousing Co. (gaining 1.74%, closing at QR17.80)
was the most liquid stock in relation to trading volumes. Some 3.4m stock changed hands in Doha.
Source: AME Info
Abu Dhabi bourse gains insignificantly
August 18, 2010--With only a few significant movements being seen, the Abu Dhabi market ADX ended 0.05% higher at 2,495.70 points. The exchange's heavyweights ended on a mixed note, such as Aldar Properties (up 0.47% at Dhs21.3) or Dana Gas (down 1.28% at Dhs0.76).
Eleven shares gained in value, 11 ended flat and seven stocks declined.
Source: AME Info
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