First Independent Mena Newspaper
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 […]
Despite Tunisia’s political turbulences and incertitude, some experts believe that it is the right moment to venture into the North African country and seize the opportunity that it offers. Oualid Hamdi believes that the negative ratings of major credit ratings agencies and the standoff between the government and the secular opposition parties should not deter […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Egyptian government wants to bring the country back on its feet and has decided to add to its priorities the payment of oil debts to foreign companies that are increasing their exploration and production in Egypt. Foreign companies are owed more than $6 billion and energy subsidies reached an estimated 120 billion Egyptian pounds […]
Algeria has taken the opportunity to renew its desire of establishing a strong bilateral cooperation with Britain. David Cameron, Great Britain’s Prime Minster, has sent his representative for economic partnership Richard Risby to Algiers for a working visit. Economic ties exist between the two countries but Algeria wants to broaden it to cover more domains. […]
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 […]
Oil Minister Abdelbari al-Arusi has presented the serious situation that the government is faced with, since the lockdown of its oil ports by armed demonstrators a month ago. Production has fallen by almost 60% and the Minister described it as a “big difference.” Demonstrators have vacated some of the oil ports but exportations have not […]
Authorities overseeing the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) are considering the conversion of their debts of more than $5 billion into bonds. The idea came as proposals and discussions with the Egyptian Central Bank to scrutinize it have resulted in a positive outcome. These debts are owed to foreign oil companies operating in the country. […]
Algeria’s Energy and Mines Minister, Youcef Yousfi, held a closed door meeting with Eni’s Chief Executive Officer, Paolo Scaroni, to discuss the Italian company’s ongoing projects and possible future projects to be done in the country. The meeting, which was held in the capital, was also an opportunity for the company to elaborate more on […]