Economy and Politics Egypt’s bourse hit a two-week high on Thursday after Qatar and Libya pledged $5 billion in funding to the cash-strapped Arab country, while most Gulf markets also gain in earnings anticipation. More from Reuters Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services affirmed the long- and short-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings of Lebanon at B/B, meaning the outlook remains negative. More from The Daily Star The cost of bailing out Cyprus has swollen to €23bn ($30bn), with the crisis-hit country having to take on the lion's share of the measures needed to avoid bankruptcy, according to a draft document by the country's international creditors. More from Associated Press Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has offered to resign because of an increasingly bitter dispute with President Mahmoud Abbas over the extent of his authority. More from Associated Press Companies and Business Arabtec Holding climbed
