Saudi Arabia has been pegged to the dollar since 1986. But the kingdom is coming under more and more pressure to de-peg in order to tackle domestic inflation.

The real estate projects in Dubai get ever bigger and more extravagant. But an investigation into corruption and concerns over liquidity are threatening the market’s image. Will Rankin and Julian Evans report.

In August, the first war for a decade took place in Europe, as Russia invaded Georgian territory. Since then, Russia has faced its worst financial crisis since the 1998 debt default. emeafinance editor Julian Evans looks at the economic costs for Russia of its military adventure in Georgia.

Mohammad El-Erian is co-CEO of Pimco, the largest bond investor in the world. A former deputy director of the IMF, and world expert on emerging markets, El-Erian here writes exclusively for emeafinance on why a reformed IMF has a critical role to play in saving the global economy from its present crisis.

Kazakhstan’s beleaguered banking sector is getting back on its feet, thanks to increased activity by state banks, and growing levels of FDI, report Shayla Walmsley and Julian Evans.

Egypt’s reformist government is grappling with the dilemma of fighting inflation while cutting a growing deficit. However, in the capital markets, Egyptian companies are expanding and becoming MENA regional champions. Julian Evans reports from Cairo.

As new players enter the Kuwaiti banking market and the central bank tightens lending rules, existing domestic players are increasingly
looking abroad, writes Clare Dunkley.

Boosted by a wave of reforms and foreign investment, Turkish banks are confident that they can weather the current climate of slowing growth and rising interest rates and resume their rapid growth. Of course, there will be winners and losers. And privatisation is still to come, writes Bernard Kennedy in Ankara.

The credit crunch, fuelled by illiquid markets and general fear across the finance industry, has had its impact on the EMEA region. But pessimism does not blanket the entire market as emeafinance discovered when it questioned some of EMEA’s leading buy side investors. On the contrary, the slowdown has provided time to evaluate deals and countries. Some governments are addressing fiscal imbalances and where necessary, high inflation.

It caused a certain amount of surprise in financial circles when Lado Gurgenidze was made prime minister of Georgia in November 2007. Julian Evans caught up with him recently in Tallinn, Estonia.

As Egypt's government faces food riots and discontent on the street, foreign investors keep on coming.

Mozambique is creeping back onto investors’ radar scanners, as commercial financing trickles grow steadier, writes Kevin Godier.