Bahrain
Kuwait breaks pattern by holding rates after Fed hike
Five other Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and UAE, raised policy rates to match Fed

Morocco’s Jouahri on inflation, forex reform, digitalisation and sustainability
BAM governor speaks about Covid-19, Fed tightening, BIS membership, regional co-operation and inclusion

Gulf central banks increase rates in line with Fed
Five banks raise rates 75bp, while Kuwait orders 25bp increase due to different currency peg

Gulf central banks raise rates after Fed hike
Qatar, UAE and Bahrain make 75bp hikes, while Kuwait raises by 25bp and Saudi 50bp
Third parties often develop RTGS technology
Seventy-one percent of respondents said technology underpinning RTGS system was developed by a third party
Bahrain court convicts Iranian central bank of money laundering
Government says case involving CBI was largest money laundering case in Bahrain’s history
Recipe for a chief (fin)tech officer
Private-sector experience, a knowledge of supervision and a zest for innovation are key ingredients
People: MAS’s Menon reappointed until 2023
Norges Bank appoints deputy to supervise SWF; Bahrain’s leader makes son deputy governor; and more
Bahrain accuses Iranian central bank of money laundering
Prosecutors allege Iranian officials were involved in laundering around $1.3 billion to dodge sanctions
Bahrain launches new cross-border payment pilot
Central banks plans to scale up system to handle CBDC transactions
UAE, Bahrain and Nambia team up to tackle money laundering
Common framework will help nations share and analyse AML/CFT data
Four Gulf states cut rates following Fed decision
Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE have currencies pegged to US dollar
Bahraini women gain prominence in financial sector
Number of local women employed increases by 2.2% in 2018, central bank data shows
Bahrain launches new repo instrument to foster interbank lending
Move comes after IMF directors back government’s attempt to diversify oil-based economy
IMF urges ‘no favour, no obstacle’ approach to Islamic banking
Report urges countries to adopt more consistent prudential standards for Islamic banks
Central Bank of Bahrain looks to establish stronger sharia governance
Formal framework specifies governance structures banks must put in place
Bahrain central bank establishes cyber-security emergency response team
Executive director says procedures and responsibilities of the team are being set up
Central Bank of Bahrain launched range of initiatives in 2015 – annual report
Central bank started implementing Basel III in 2015
Bahraini central bank launches ‘almost real-time’ payments
One strand of Electronic Fund Transfer System that went live in November
Central Bank of Bahrain director plots route to ‘vast’ Islamic financial market
Abdul Rahman Al Baker warns of obstacles to further growth
Central Bank of Bahrain upgrading market infrastructure
Central bank is ‘establishing a disclosure and corporate governance-based monitoring framework’
Central Bank of Bahrain launches Islamic liquidity facility
Wakalah instrument allows banks to make short-term deposits
Bahrain governor launches campaign for women bankers
Rasheed Al Maraj calls on industry to appoint more women
Bahrain governor defends capital ratios
Al Maraj insists regulators are not trying to punish bankers