Capital Markets
From The Report: Bahrain 2023
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Bahrain’s capital markets are being revitalised as the kingdom and the broader Middle East emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic-induced downturn. New regulations, partnerships with neighbouring countries and a national plan to boost the economy are all set to help drive growth in capital markets. The Central Bank of Bahrain is the single regulator of securities trading in the kingdom, and its Capital Markets Supervision Directorate is responsible for supervising and regulating capital markets. The CBB rulebook includes a separate section that covers the activities undertaken on Bahrain Bourse. Although Bahrain’s capital markets have yet to enjoy the same wave of listings seen on neighbouring exchanges, the bourse has taken steps to update regulations and boost investor confidence.

This chapter contains an interview with Sheikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, CEO, Bahrain Bourse.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Investment horizon: Trading in listed companies looks set to grow as the country makes financial services a long-term economic priority
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Bahrain’s capital markets are being revitalised as the kingdom and the broader Middle East emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic-induced downturn. New regulations, partnerships with neighbouring countries and a national plan to boost the economy are all set to help drive growth in capital markets. Structure & Oversight The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) is the single regulator of securities trading in the kingdom, and its Capital Markets Supervision Directorate (CMSD) is responsible for supervising…

Interview

Market strength: Sheikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, CEO, Bahrain Bourse (BHB), on regional cooperation to promote investment and strengthening local financial awareness
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Interview:Sheikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa What are the main priorities when it comes to enhancing liquidity in the local capital markets? SHEIKH KHALIFA BIN EBRAHIM AL KHALIFA: In a bid to grow the region’s capital markets, in July 2022 the Tabadul Hub was created by BHB, the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and the Muscat Stock Exchange and launched. Our exchanges share the aim of creating a broader investor base and providing more options to satisfy appetite in the region. Tabadul also…

Analysis

On the up: The macroeconomic climate is set to boost public offerings
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The GCC saw a rise in initial public offerings (IPOs) in 2022 despite volatility in secondary markets, surpassing the previous year’s record high. The total number of IPOs in the region increased from 20 in 2021 to 48 in 2022, marking a 140% rise, and proceeds from GCC issuers increased by 211% from $7.5bn to almost $23bn over the same period. The growing number of successful IPOs in the region has resulted in greater interest from investors. Following an uptick in activity in the UAE and Saudi…