Bankers and politicians alike delight in calling the banking sector immune — immune to the financial crisis, immune to political rumblings and knee jerks in public opinion. But the…
Paul Cochrane
Paul Cochrane
Paul Cochrane is the Middle East Correspondent for International News Services. He has lived in Beirut since 2002, and has written for some 70 publications worldwide, covering business, media, politics and culture in the Middle East, East Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
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It’s been a glittering year for gold globally, with a Troy ounce (37.1 grams) rising $300 to a record $1,424.60 in November, before backing down slightly into the high…
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Lebanon’s industrial sector has overcome the odds stacked against it to have a surprisingly good 2010. Exports rose 32.6 percent to $2.56 billion as of the third quarter of…
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Hosting a global sporting event can do wonders for a country’s image, proving it’s a sophisticated, advanced nation able to meet demanding international standards and put on a good…
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It’s been a long hot summer. Temperatures hit all-time highs and Ramadan demand put power grids under serious strain across the Middle East. Few countries were spared as power outages…
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Qatar’s “open market” is “committed to free trade” and“warmly welcomes foreign investors” to help diversify the economy, according tothe Ministry of Business and Trade’s Investment Promotion Department’s latestreport, “Rise…
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Labeling this region as the “Middle East” or the lesser used “Near East,” is standard practice in the West, but the region can equally be called “West Asia,” the opposite…
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With more than 60 of them jostling for market share, one would expect Lebanese banks to use every trick in the book to lure in customers — including attractive…
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The high interest historically paid out by Lebanese banks on deposits in Lebanese lira (LL) made the country an attractive location for stashing cash. At its peak, near the…
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The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is fortunate to be able to tap the majority of its oil onshore and in shallow coastal waters. That’s meant a minimal…