Gulf prospects: GCC and Asia
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region—comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—is undergoing a fundamental transformation.
Group Research - Econs17 Oct 2025
  • GCC pushing for non-oil sector growth. Fiscal discipline and currency pegs bolster stability
  • Foreign investment drives innovation-led economic transformation
  • China-GCC trade and investment ties grow beyond energy industries
  • Investors are eyeing GCC bonds, with corporate and sukuk issuance rising alongside USD sovereigns
  • Hong Kong stands as the super-connector to facilitate GCC CNH bond issuance
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The GCC’s economic transformation is entering a more advanced phase, with diversification efforts beginning to yield structural change. Fiscal discipline, strong external buffers, and expanding non-oil sectors are laying the foundation for more sustainable and broad-based growth. As investment and capital market development continue, the region is set to move beyond cyclical oil dependence toward a more productive, innovation-driven model that supports long-term resilience and employment creation.

Looking ahead, deeper economic alignment with Asia—particularly China—will shape the next stage of growth. Expanding trade in RMB, rising CNH bond issuance, and Hong Kong’s growing role as a financial conduit point to a gradual eastward shift in capital and commerce. These trends position the GCC to evolve from a regional energy exporter into a central node in the emerging Asia–Middle East–Europe economic corridor, redefining its role in global trade, finance, and technology flows.

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