Money Matters

A US soft landing US fund managers have raised their expectations for GDPgrowth for 2000 and 2001. While 83% now expect Fed Funds torise over the coming year, they expect …

Arab countries attracted around $9 billion in private capital flows in 1999, or 6% of total capital flows to the emerging markets that year. Private flows to the Arab region …

MOROCCO Equities on the Casablanca StockExchange remained under pressure,with most investors opting for thesidelines in anticipation of 1999corporate results. Share prices headedmostly downward in thin liquidity asinstitutional selling outweighed buying.Total …

The Messiah? Chafic Muharram, former vice governorof the central bank, has been asked totake over the helm of the faltering BanqueLibanaise pour le Commerce (BLC) by thebank’s general assembly. As …

Not a bad start. Only two years after the central bank let Credit Libanais loose in the market – followed by a complete restructuring program (see “Back to life,” December …

Expectations for most industries arefairly routine. When sales sink inthe middle of an economic slowdown,earnings should follow suit. Not soat Uniceramic, Lebanon’s leading ceramictile manufacturer, whose sales dropped 9%in 1999. …

“It was a real mess,” describes ElieGhorayeb on what he saw when hefirst came in as Casino du Liban’schairman and general manager in March1999. His objective: do a clean-up job. …

The US is experiencing its longest economic growthperiod in history. The end of February marked the107th month of strong economic performance,surpassing its previous record set in the colorful 60s (106months …

Global economic optimism may have lost its upwardmomentum according to our February Fund Manager Survey.The inversion in the US yield curve could be taken as a signthat Fed rate hikes …

The resumption of talks betweenIsrael, Syria, and Lebanon is generatinghopes that a peace agreementcould be reached this year. Such adevelopment would enhance regional stability,reduce the degree of risk perceived byforeign …