Regional Economic Outlook, May 2008, Middle East and Central Asia
Author | : International Monetary Fund. Middle East and Central Asia Dept. |
Publisher | : International Monetary Fund |
Total Pages | : 70 |
Release | : 2008-04-29 |
ISBN-10 | : 9781589067158 |
ISBN-13 | : 1589067150 |
Rating | : 4/5 (58 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: The Middle East and Central Asia region grew at 6.5 percent in 2007, marking its best five-year performance over the past 30 years. So far, the turmoil in international financial markets has had a limited impact on the region, and the short-term outlook remains very favorable. The report reviews recent economic developments, assesses the outlook for the coming year, and discusses key policy challenges. In addition, it takes a closer look at both regional topics--such as the rise in inflation in the GCC countries, intraregional capital flows, developments in oil markets, developments in real estate prices, and sovereign wealth funds--and country reviews for Algeria, Georgia, Iraq, and West Bank and Gaza.