From War Shock to Comeback: IMF’s Azour Maps Gulf Recovery

Gulf faces economic contraction nearly as acute as COVID shock

Oman is the outlier, having implemented economic reforms before the war and remaining relatively unscathed by the conflict.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE head for recession amid Iran war impact: IMF

Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the IMF speaks to CNBC's Dan Murphy as the fund forecasts a sharp contraction across Gulf economies this year amid the Iran war.

From war shock to comeback: IMF’s Azour maps Gulf recovery

DUBAI: Gulf economies are heading for a strong rebound in 2027 after the war tested their resilience, with years of reform and long-term investment helping maintain stability across the region, according to Jihad Azour, director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund. Speaking to Arab News in a one-on-one interview at the launch of the IMF’s Regional Economic Outlook in Dubai, Azour pointed to Saudi Ara…

IMF forecasts 4.8% contraction for Gulf economies as Iran wa...

Gulf economies are set to shrink 4.8 per cent this year as the Iran war disrupts energy exports, before rebounding 9.1 per cent in 2027, the International Monetary Fund said today....

GCC economy set to rebound 9.1 percent in 2027 as energy production and trade normalize, IMF says

Gulf Cooperation Council economies are projected to stage a strong recovery in 2027, expanding 9.1 percent as energy production, exports and trade routes gradually normalize after severe disruption this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. The forecast represents a major acceleration from a projected 4.8 percent contraction in 2026, reflecting the unusually large effect […]