Oil To Lift Gulf States In 2010, Debt Remains Concern

Arab Gulf states may get a boost from higher oil prices in 2010 but the region’s real-estate and banking sectors still face head winds.

“We are going to see an improvement in macro-economic conditions, mainly due to higher oil prices, which will trickle down to corporate activity,” said Faisal Hassan, head of research at Global Investment House.

The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and four other Arab Gulf states depend heavily on revenue from oil exports, which still provide about 60% of the regions foreign currency earnings.

Oil prices have more than doubled from lows of about $35 a barrel at the beginning of 2009 as fear of global economic Armageddon has given way to optimism about a recovery led from Asia. New York Mercantile Exchange crude futures averaged just above $62 a barrel in 2009, according to Zawya Dow Jones calculations.

Dow Jones Newswires