Interview: Basel Al-Haroon In what ways do global inflationary pressures affect macroeconomic performance? BASEL AL-HAROON: Local price fluctuations serve as crucial indicators for measuring different elements of economic performance. These include purchasing power and the allocation of resources to consumption, savings and investment. The CBK keeps a close eye on all these economic markers. The…
Kuwait’s banks are among the largest and most robust in the region, with global consultancy firm KPMG ranking the country first in the GCC in terms of average net growth in total banking assets and net profit in 2022. Indeed, asset growth defined the sector’s trajectory that year, as Kuwaiti banks continued to recover from the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic. Supply chain constraints…
– Space sector could galvanise diversification in technology, defence and tourism – Newly established Saudi Space Agency is projected to accelerate investment – The UAE is expanding its capabilities in exploration and satellite imaging – Global partnerships with Chinese and Western firms prioritise localisation In the push to embrace emerging technologies and harness their…
In this Global Platform video, Suliman Al Khliwi, Managing Director, Saudi Tabreed, discusses how district cooling can offer numerous advantages over conventional cooling in the GCC. District cooling is more cost efficient than conventional cooling, with the ability to serve major projects under development in the region. It is also more energy efficient and has fewer negative environmental impacts,
On attracting foreign direct investment to the country How do you expect international investor confidence and foreign direct investment (FDI) levels to evolve in the economic recovery phase following the Covid-19 pandemic? KHALIL: International investor confidence in Kuwait appears to be positive, as evidenced by the increase in new FDI approved by the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion…
Alongside significant political efforts to speed up the energy transition, 2021 was a record-breaking year for green finance, as governments, international institutions and lenders alike sought to support the shift towards renewables. This mirrored developments in generation: new renewable energy capacity reached an all-time high of 290 GW in 2021. Meanwhile, the issuance of green bonds – financial…
Kuwait has taken steps to align financial flows with environmental and socio-economic targets under the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), although the country’s pledge to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 7.4% by 2035 falls short of the reduction target of 45% set in the Paris Agreement. Boursa Kuwait, which self-listed in September 2020 and had a market capitalisation of approximately…
