The top 100 Arab banks

The top 100 Arab banks

Despite measures by some governments to curb expenditure, withdeflationary effects on economic growth, the health of Arab banks remains good.Banks from the Gulf Cooperation Council states, particularly Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, continue to dominate the top 100 rankings. Martin Gallagher and Andrew Ioannou analyze the latest results.

While rising oil prices are easing Saudi Arabia's immediate economic problems - a deep budget deficit and depleted foreign reserves - the country needs to make structural changes, cut spending and create new jobs to reduce its dependence on volatile oil. Norman Peagam looks at the task confronting a new team of western-educated technocrats

PROJECT FINANCE DEVELOPS NEW RISKS

MIDDLE MEN BETWEEN EAST AND MIDDLE EAST

Sulaiman Abdel-Aziz al-Rajhi, the Saudi money changer, is conservative, pious and modest. The firm he founded is worth a far-from-modest $7 billion. How he prospered. By Michael Field