Regional equity markets

Beirut SE   Current year high: 1,200.49    Current year low: 977.55 >  Review period: Closed Aug 24 at 984.24 Points               Period Change: -2.6% After 18 weeks of rarely interrupted drops, the MSCI Lebanon index moved below the 1,000 points line on Aug 9. The dip below a psychologically alarming watershed was probably balanced by the fact that the locally better-known BLOM Stock Index (BSI) uses another methodology and display format and showed a close in the 1440 range on Aug 24. However, neither format camouflages the unsightly reality that the BSE is down quite a bit year to date, 7% according to BSI and 11.8% according MSCI Lebanon. Good H1 results by listed banks could not mitigate the cries of alarm. Amman SE   Current year high: 2,693.91                Current year low: 2,223.30 > Review period: Closed Aug 24 at 2,269.47 Points             Period Change: -1.7% The Amman Stock Exchange is now