Business Features Finance

The Fed Up, the ECB Down: Time to Endow the ECB with a Level Playing Field

After years of loose monetary policy, with 0.5 percent interest rate and three consecutive waves of quantitative easing (QE), including buying US$ 85 billion per month of Treasury bonds (T-bonds), Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Fed’s board of governors, announced in May the Fed’s intention to commence tapering its asset purchase program. The Fed’s […]

Business Features Finance

Tunisia introduces austerity measures

The government has revealed that it will introduce austerity measures to curb its budget deficit. Finance Minister Elyes Fakhfakh’s announcement could further stir up the heightened political crisis to new levels. The decision will imply the reduction of public expenditure and the freezing of public salaries. The move is not expected to be welcomed by […]

Business Features Finance

Libya to use its financial reserves before November

Finance Minister Alkilani Abdelkarim al-Jazi has warned that the blockage of oil ports should come to an end as soon as possible because the finances of the state have begun to feel the effects. Oil is Libya’s major revenue and the siege on ports and oilfields especially in the east have almost brought production to […]

Business Features Finance

Tunisia: Central bank warns of worst economic downfall

The Tunisian central Bank has added its voice to the ongoing political crisis. It is worried that if the political parties don’t find a solution to their differences, the economy will fall into a state that it has never before experienced. The board of the central bank has urged all stakeholders to work towards maintain […]

Business Features Finance

MENA: Arab Spring transitional countries boosted

A statement released by United Kingdom’s foreign ministry has stated that the government, in partnership with several international financial institutions, will be holding a Deauville Partnership Investment conference in September. The conference is aimed at promoting investments, trade and supporting new investors in transitional countries marred by the Arab Spring. The European Bank for Reconstruction […]

Business Finance

“Train My Generation” Fund Set up to Address Youth Unemployment in Africa

A fund destined to promote the training of African youth, “Train My Generation,” has been set up on the sidelines of the New York Africa Forum, held in the Gabonese capital, Libreville, June 14-16. The fund with an initial capital of $ 200 million was set up in partnership between the Economic and Monetary Community […]

Business Finance

Qatar to send LNG to save Egyptian factories

Qatar will be sending five shipments of liquefied to Egypt as a donation in order to help it reduce the constraints on its industrial sector. The delivery is expected between July and September. The statement which was released by Qatar’s Energy and Industry Minister Mohamed al-Sada didn’t precise the quantity. Egypt’s natural gas shortage is […]

Business Finance

Egypt: President’s adviser blames IMF for delaying the loan

Essam al-Haddad, the closest aide to Mohamed Morsi, has lambasted the IMF for worsening Egypt’s situation. He claimed Egypt has satisfied all the required conditions but the IMF continues to delay the deal. He said the government in a bid to finalize the $4,8 billion loan deal has recently included a phased-out subsidies plan and […]

Business Finance

Major tax reform plan begins in Tunisia

Tunisian Finance Minister Elyes Fakhfakh, has announced the introduction of its planned reform of the country’s tax system which will affect the direct, indirect and local taxations. Task groups have been set up by the ministry to propose ideas about how to revolutionize the tax system, modernize and adapt it to the country’s realities. Tunisia […]