Middle East ETF News Older than One Year
Standard and Poor's launches regional credit rating scale for the Gulf Cooperation Council
February 15, 2010--Standard and Poor's Rating Services announced the launch of a new regional credit rating scale for the Gulf Cooperation Council, one of several new initiatives Standard & Poor's is undertaking in the region to support debt markets.
The new scale reflects demand from Gulf issuers and investors for an additional rating scale that helps them to better compare the relative credit risk of issuers and issuances across the region, and is expected to contribute to better informed, more liquid, and more efficient capital markets in the Gulf
Source: AME Info
Saudi official says dollar should expect competition
February 15, 2010--The governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency has said the US dollar will see competition over its global reserve status as a 'multipolar' currency system develops, Bloomberg has reported.
'The dollar is still pre-eminent in its role as a reserve currency, although in official reserves, the euro is gaining in importance,' the news service quoted Muhammad al-Jasser telling the Jeddah Economic Forum.
Source: AME Info
Dubai Gold And Commodities Exchange Weekly Views February 14, 2010
February 14, 2010--Commodities Overview
Commodities prices may move sideways for the most part next week. In general investors are coming to view economic conditions more favorably from China to the United States, although concerns over Europe and Japan remain, and even worsened in recent weeks. In this environment, investors remain interested in being long many commodities.
Base metals could see some weakness, reflecting lower physical demand due to the Lunar New Year in China and other Asian markets. Any such declines are expected to be modest, however, reflecting the continuing shift in investor attitudes toward viewing the global economy as being in the recovery phase, which suggests stronger demand for commodities.
Currencies Overview
The dollar has had a strong run against the euro. It has moved less dramatically against other currencies. Indeed, the dollar-euro exchange rate has reflected market concerns over European financial and economic conditions. It has been a vote against the euro and not so much a vote for the dollar, although better economic conditions and improved investor attitudes toward the U.S. economy have helped bolster the dollar to some extent.
Source: Dubai Gold And Commodities Exchange (DGCX)
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre proposes minting Middle East's first ever legal tender gold coin
February 11, 2010--United Arab Emirates: Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has proposed to the UAE Central Bank, the launch of a legal tender gold coin which if approved, will be the first of its kind in the Middle East.
Existing legal tender gold coins such as the Australian Nugget and the South African Krugerrand are popular among buyers as a vehicle to invest in pure gold.
Source: AME Info
DFM rises over 2%
February 11, 2010--The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) closed up by 2.17% to 1,676.20, with 22 stocks rising, three falling and four remaining unchanged
Global Investment House was the day's biggest riser, moving up by 12.26% to Dhs1.19.
Source: AME Info
ADX rises 0.68%
February 11, 2010--The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) rose 0.68% on the final day of trading of the week, closing at 2,744.00. Fifteen stocks rose, eight fell and nine remained unchanged.
Sharjah Cement and Industrial Development Co (SCIDC) was the day's biggest gainer, moving up 8.27% to Dhs1.45.
Source: AME Info
Tadawul gains 0.4%
February 10, 2010--Saudi Arabia's Tadawul All Share Index gained 0.4% to 6,225, with 68 stocks rising and 34 falling.
All sectors ended higher except Banks and Financial Services and Industrial Investment. Market heavyweight Alinma Bank gained 0.40 to SR12.60.
Source: AME Info
UAE's bank debt to rise in 2010
February 11, 2010--Non-performing loans are expected to swell almost 50% to nearly Dh65bn ($17.69bn) in the UAE this year, the National has reported. The rise is likely to force lenders to set aside more reserves to protect themselves.
'Non-performing loans are already at a reasonable level,' Sultan Nasser al Suwaidi, the Central Bank Governor, was quoted as saying yesterday. 'If you take into account write-offs, non-performing loans would be higher.'
Source: AME Info
Opec: 2010 economy to put pressure on oil demand
February 11, 2010--Opec has said that oil demand in 2010 will come under pressure from the slow pace of the recovery in the world economy, AFP has reported. "
As a result, US demand is a key uncertainty for this year. Non-OECD regions will be the sole contributors to global demand growth in 2010," the oil producers' group said. "The global recovery is proceeding apace... but the strength of the upturn in 2010 is still uncertain and regionally uneven."
Source: AME Info
OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report-February 2010
February 10, 2010--Oil Market Highlights
The OPEC Reference Basket continued its upward trend in early January to hit a 15-month high of
$80.29/b on the back of bullish sentiment, driven by cold weather. The trend was reversed after
temperatures rose in the Northern Hemisphere, combined with the stronger dollar and a downward
correction in equity markets.
The Basket fell steadily to stand at $71.01/b on 29 January. Renewed concerns about economic growth, particularly in Euro-zone, resulted in a further decline, pushing the Basket below $70/b in early February to stand at $69.76/b on 9 February. On a monthly basis, the Basket averaged $76.01/b in January, up $2 from December.
The world economy continues to show some improvement and global GDP is now expected to grow at an upwardly revised 3.4% in 2010 after contracting by 0.9% in 2009. The main contribution for this growth is coming from developing Asia, with China seen growing by 9.1% in 2010, while India is forecast to grow by 7.0% in 2010. The OECD in comparison is forecast to grow on a much lower level of 1.7%. The US is now expected to contribute the most within the OECD at 2.5% in 2010. Growth in 2010 continues to be challenged by concerns about the level of public debt in almost all OECD regions, still record high unemployment levels across the globe and government efforts in China to prevent the economy from overheating.
Source: OPEC
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