Sector Special Reports
Middle East Special Reports - in-depth features, trends and data on the region's sectors and countries.
Calendar
Upcoming Special Reports - Calendar
MEED special reports are published every week and encompass in-depth features, trends and data on issues affecting the region. Find the right MEED special report for your business and discover with a wealth of advertising and sponsorship opportunities.
Finance Special Reports
Special Report: Banking - Public sector projects raise hope
The Gulf’s governments are turning to new financing strategies to fund crucial infrastructure projects with public-private partnerships (PPPs) an increasingly popular model in the region
Special Report: Banking - State-backed institutions in demand
After years of strong asset growth, the onset of the credit crunch late last year hit Gulf banks hard. Stock markets plummeted and the real estate bubble burst, leaving many investors and customers in trouble.
Special Report: Kuwait - MPs push for finance reforms
Kuwait’s handling of the financial crisis has been criticised for the limited scale of its intervention to contain the crash, which resulted in several local institutions coming near to collapse
Construction & Real Estate Special Reports
Special Report: Qatar – Population rise poses challenges
Qatar has experienced a demographic explosion in the past five years, with the population more than doubling in size to 1.6 million in late 2009
Special Report: Construction - Contract awards raise hope in the Gulf
The outlook for the region’s construction sector in 2010 looks mixed. The Gulf’s major economies, such as Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, are surging out of the financial downturn, but $575bn worth of projects remain on hold across the GCC
Special Report: Construction - Industrial schemes prompt hope
Dubai-based real estate developer Nakheel has become the focus of the problems in the emirate’s construction market in recent weeks, as it tries to restructure a $3.5bn sukuk (Islamic bond) before the repayment deadline of 14 December.
Oil & Gas Special Reports
Special Report: UAE - Dubai downturn forces strategy rethink
Dubai may not have much oil, but its economy still relies heavily on oil revenues, albeit those of neighbouring Abu Dhabi.
Special Report: Qatar – Population rise poses challenges
Qatar has experienced a demographic explosion in the past five years, with the population more than doubling in size to 1.6 million in late 2009
Special Report: Oil & Gas - Focus turns to downstream developments
Over the next five years, contractors will be working hard to help Riyadh achieve its goal of doubling its oil refining capacity by 2015.
Power & Water Special Reports
Special Report: Power & Water - Region struggles to ensure access to scarce water supplies
The Middle East is struggling to cope with growing demand for fresh water. While the reasons for water shortages vary across the region, the issue that all governments around the Middle East are having to tackle is the same: how to guarantee access to shrinking supplies of fresh water.
Special Report: Power & Water - Gulf opts for oil-fired plants
Just seven months ago, in March, the Abu Dhabi government released a report saying that the economic and environmental cost of using oil as a fuel for power plants was too high to be considered
Special Report: Power & Water - Gulf nuclear plans progress
The oil-rich GCC states should not be short of energy. Yet several have suffered power shortages in recent years. The problem lies with governments opting to sell gas globally at high prices, rather than to local power plants at subsidised rates.
Transport Special Reports
Special Report: Transport & logistics - Gulf invests in new roads network
The Gulf’s road building schemes may not enjoy the high profile of the region’s rail and airport investment programmes, but the trend for Gulf states to spend millions of dollars on new highways is a sign that they are taking the business of building a better basic infrastructure seriously.
Special Report: Qatar – Population rise poses challenges
Qatar has experienced a demographic explosion in the past five years, with the population more than doubling in size to 1.6 million in late 2009
Special Report: UAE - Dubai's woes hit northern emirates
Until the northern emirates have a reliable infrastructure, their economic fortunes will rise and fall with those of their powerful neighbour Dubai – something they are understandably keen to change.
Petrochemicals Special Reports
Special Report: Petrochemicals - Gulf hit by oversupply
After a poor start to the year, when the Gulf’s petrochemicals companies reported record losses, petrochemical prices have slowly improved and demand is expected to pick up as the year end
Industry Special Reports
Special Report: Metals & Mining - Gulf states target copper
The Middle East is well placed to take advantage of a anticipated surge in global copper prices. Saudi Arabia is leading the way in mining its copper deposits, with two new mines in the kingdom scheduled to start commercial production by the end of 2011, the largest of which, the Jabal Sayid project, will produce 57,000 tonnes a year of copper in concentrate.
Healthcare & Education Special Reports
Special Report: Education - Gulf invests in high-tech future
The Middle East has taken big strides to improve the quality of university education in recent years, investing billions of dollars in a modern infrastructure
Telecoms & IT Special Reports
Special Report: Metals & Mining - Gulf states target copper
The Middle East is well placed to take advantage of a anticipated surge in global copper prices. Saudi Arabia is leading the way in mining its copper deposits, with two new mines in the kingdom scheduled to start commercial production by the end of 2011, the largest of which, the Jabal Sayid project, will produce 57,000 tonnes a year of copper in concentrate.
