Middle East

Equity capital markets bankers' bullish mood was dented on Friday by falling markets as investors reacted to escalating tension in the Middle East after the US assassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. Banks are hoping this change in sentiment does not damage deal making next week.

Burak Kaya is joining MUFG Turkey to lead its corporate banking activity for non-Japanese firms.

Etihad Airways has signed a €100m loan linked to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The deal is one of the latest ESG-linked financings signed in the Middle East, which is developing an appetite for sustainability-linked debt.

Equity-linked bond investors were left hurting again this week after bonds and shares in NMC Healthcare, the London-listed Emirati private healthcare business, were hit by accusations of fraud by short seller Muddy Waters. This is another painful episode for the convertible bond market after its troubles with Wirecard earlier in 2019, and an earlier scandal at Steinhoff International.

Shares in NMC Health, the London-listed Emirati private healthcare business, plunged more than 20% on Tuesday morning after US activist short seller Muddy Waters said it had grave concerns about the company’s balance sheet and financial statements, hitting the firm's convertible bonds.

Turkey’s position economically, and from a capital markets standpoint, is better at the end of 2019 than it was a year ago. However, that is not to say all is well with the country — far from it. Prospects for 2020 are, at best, mixed with growing concerns over central bank independence and high debt levels

The loan market has had a great couple of years in the Middle East but in 2019 the bond market stole its thunder. However, as the region tries to wean itself off hydrocarbons, the sheer scale of financing needed means both markets will have plenty to do over the next 10 years. Mariam Meskin reports

Since the global financial crisis, central banks have accumulated powers over regulation and supervision of markets as well as over monetary policy. In 2019 politicians began to erode that with interventions that have raised questions over who should control markets. By Phil Thornton

Investors gave the Turkish central bank’s 200bp rate cut a sanguine reaction on Thursday, but fund managers also noted that sentiment towards the country could change at any moment.

Sources close to Saudi Aramco breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday, when trading in its shares accelerated, after a very slow and stuttering start the previous day. The action propelled the Saudi oil champion's stock higher, but more importantly for international investors, the more liquid flow should make it easier for them to buy the stock when it is added to MSCI's emerging markets index next week.

Saudi Aramco stock rose 10% on its first day of trading on the Saudi stock exchange on Wednesday, after its historic $25.6bn IPO last week. Aramco hit its daily limit for share price movement of 10% in its first trading hours, as a combination of local demand and scarce sellers drove the price higher.

Bankers in Doha this week were eager to start a World Cup funding run in Qatar, as concerns over the Gulf state’s conflict with Saudi Arabia began to dissipate.