Oman
Omani central bank unveils SME measures
All banks operating in Oman will have to allocate 5% of credit portfolios to SMEs; prudential and collateral requirements relaxed to encourage lending
Omani central bank to join government drive for more SME lending
Omani authorities hope to increase jobs in the private sector by stimulating the flow of credit to small and medium-sized companies
Oman GDP grows by 22.7% for second year in row
Annual report says domestic demand and higher crude oil prices catalysed growth
Oman and Bahrain central banks outline plans for Eid
Preparations underway for banking sector shutdown and cash demand surge during religious celebrations; both Central Bank of Bahrain and Central Bank of Oman will shut
Central Bank of Oman - Annual Report (2010)
Central Bank of Oman 2010 Annual Report highlights economic impact of political uprising in Middle East
Gulf markets integrated enough for monetary union
IMF economists’ work indicates stage set for single-currency project
GCC governors back regional CB plans
Central bank governors in the gulf have taken a significant step towards monetary union, backing the creation of a regional central bank.
Fund warns Gulf countries on inflation
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries with currencies pegged to the greenback will face a tough battle against inflation, the International Monetary Fund said on Monday.
Gulf reserves set to top $2 trillion
If global oil prices remain high, foreign exchange reserves in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will exceed $2 trillion by the end of this year.
Near-record inflation forces Oman to limit lending
The Central Bank of Oman upped banks' reserve requirement ratio on Sunday in a bid to curb rampant inflation.
Qatar may not track Fed moves
In comments that throw the future of a currency union in the Gulf in further doubt, the governor of the Qatari central bank has suggested the central bank could deviate from its usual practice of shadowing the Fed's monetary policy decisions.
Central Bank of Oman - annual report 2007
Oman's economy grew at 15.6% in 2006 the central bank reports in its annual report for 2006.
Uncertainty surrounds Gulf monetary union
In the last week Kuwait and Oman have opted expand the range of currencies they peg their exchange rates to. These developments cast doubts over the gulf region's ability to meet its 2010 deadline for a monetary union.
Oman to introduce risk-based supervision
The Central Bank of Oman will introduce risk-based supervision by the end of the year, Hamood Sangour Al Zadjali, executive president, CBO, said in Muscat in an address to bankers.
SAMA chief says Gulf states to keep pegs
In the run-up to monetary union in 2010 Gulf Arab states are committed to dollar-pegged exchange rates and will need "exceptional efforts" to meet the deadline, the Saudi central bank chief told reporters on Tuesday 3 April.
Oman could still join currency union says Suwaidi
There is a strong possibility that Oman could join a regional currency union if a simpler version than the one currently on the table were adopted, the governor of the UAE central bank, Sultan bin Naser Al Suwaidi, said on Saturday 3 March.
Why Oman pulled out of the single currency
According to this article from Gulf News, published Sunday 21 January, unique economic challenges mean that recent talk that the GCC monetary union is not necessarily possible could be right.
Oman to keep 80% dollar reserves
Oman favours keeping most of its $5 billion of central bank reserves in dollars rather than euros because the US currency pays higher interest, the central bank governor was quoted by Reuters as saying.
UAE's Al Suwaidi sees union of 'one form' by 2010
The governor of the UAE central bank told reporters Friday 22 December that one form of a Gulf single currency union will be introduced by the current deadline of 2010.
Review possible on GCC union deadline
Saudi Arabia's finance minister said Tuesday 19 December in an interview with Reuters the GCC states may have to review the 2010 target date for introducing the single currency after Oman's decision to miss the deadline.
UAE says GCC trying to simplify plans
The governor of the Central Bank of the UAE, Sultan bin Nasser Al Suwaidi, on Sunday 17 December tried to play down rumours of cracks in plans for the proposed GCC monetary union by 2010.
Gulf monetary union is a cracking project?
According to this article published by Gulf News on Saturday 16 December, Oman's decision to pull out of the 2010 deadline indicates pressure on the proposed GCC single currency.
Oman not ready for single currency
Oman has confirmed it will not be joining the GCC currency union by 2010. The move presents a big setback for the proposed Gulf single currency.
Oman launches Clearing House solution
The Central Bank of Oman's Automated Clearing House Solution (ACH) has been completed, HP Middle East announced.