Best bank
Arab Bank
In Jordan, again, there is an outstanding candidate for the award. It will surprise few people that Arab Bank once again leads the field.
"It is streets ahead of the other Jordanian banks," says one analyst. "It may only be a small market but Arab Bank is a giant in that market."
Arab Bank enjoys a very strong position in Jordan but also has a good profile in the Middle East generally and internationally.
It dominates its domestic competition with by far the biggest franchise in every market segment. If anything, according to at least one observer, Arab Bank has pulled even further away from its rivals in the past year by performing through the weak economy of the past 12 to 18 months.
"Just about all the other banks in Jordan have been affected by lower economic activity and the increase in bad loans," says an analyst. Arab Bank has been able to ride out the downturn through its greater exposure outside Jordan. "They have continued to put in good results whereas the other Jordanian banks have been down earnings-wise," says an analyst.