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Eleven Arab exchanges ended the quarter in positive territory, led by the Palestine Exchange with an impressive gain of 18.29%, followed by Dubai (11.96%) and Abu Dhabi (6.28%). In contrast, four markets posted declines, with the Saudi Exchange and Iraq’s bourse recording the largest drops at -7.16% and -4.33%, respectively.

Despite the upward momentum in market indices, total market capitalization across Arab exchanges fell by 2.42%, reaching $4,221.54 billion. Trading values also declined by 8.04%, amounting to $230.38 billion.

The improved performance was supported by a combination of factors, including rising oil prices, easing global trade tensions, and accommodative monetary policies. The U.S. Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, while the Bank of England and the European Central Bank introduced rate cuts. Meanwhile, most Gulf central banks maintained their rates, and the Central Bank of Egypt lowered its deposit rate to 24%.

These programs were conducted as part of the Institute’s mission to provide high-quality training content that keeps pace with regional and global economic and financial developments. The courses addressed priority topics for member countries, including macroeconomics, financial stability, institutional development, governance, and compliance.

The training sessions were implemented in cooperation with several regional and international partner institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), HEC Paris, the Islamic Development Bank Institute, and the Arab Regional Payments Clearing and Settlement Organization (BUNA), alongside international experts and academic specialists.

Through this intensive activity, the Training and Capacity Development Institute reaffirms its firm commitment to supporting sustainable economic development in the Arab region by investing in human capital and delivering practical training programs that enhance the efficiency of national cadres and strengthen institutional readiness to face future challenges.
 

The meetings are also regularly attended by representatives from the International Committee on Credit Reporting (ICCR), along with several other regional and international institutions.

In this context, H.E. Dr. Fahad M. Alturki, Director General Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund, emphasized that credit information systems represent a fundamental pillar of the modern financial system, playing a vital role in enhancing lending efficiency, improving risk management, and supporting financial inclusion, in alignment with international best practices. By addressing key focus areas, the Arab Committee for Credit Information can contribute significantly to broader goals of sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion across the Arab region.

His Excellency also commended the participation of relevant regional and international financial institutions and their valuable contributions to enriching the dialogue.

His Excellency Dr. Fahad M. Alturki, Director General Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund, inaugurated the program with a keynote address highlighting the importance of this six-month initiative, which targets policymakers and experts from Arab countries. The program aligns with the Fund’s new 2025–2030 strategy, which focuses on strengthening institutional capacity and developing economic and financial competencies across the region.

The program combines self-paced learning, in-person attendance, and virtual interaction to offer a comprehensive educational experience led by international experts. It covers critical topics such as global tax policy, digital transformation in tax administration, resource mobilization, reducing tax gaps, and the latest trends in international taxation.

Six Arab stock markets posted gains, driven by strong performance in telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, technology, and banking sectors. Meanwhile, seven others declined under pressure from drops in the energy, financial services, and transportation sectors. Dubai Financial Market led the gains with a 4.14% increase, followed by Iraq’s market with 3.46%. In contrast, Muscat, Kuwait, and Palestine saw losses ranging between 1.16% and 1.64%, while Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Casablanca, and Amman recorded deeper declines, reaching up to 5.6%.

At the start of the month, the U.S. tariff announcement triggered a global sell-off, impacting indices like the S&P and NASDAQ, which dropped by 9% to 13.7%. However, the subsequent decision to suspend the tariffs for three months helped pare losses, particularly in emerging markets, which rebounded by around 6.26%, followed by gains in Europe and Asia.

The strategy represents a major step forward in broadening access to financial services across the country, particularly digital solutions. It places a strong focus on reaching underserved segments of the population, including women, youth, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Key objectives include raising the percentage of adults with bank or digital accounts to 50% by 2030 (up from 11% currently), reducing the gender gap in access to financial services to 3.5 percentage points, and increasing the use of digital payments to 85%.

The Arab Monetary Fund played a key role in supporting the strategy’s development by providing technical expertise and advancing regional coordination through the Financial Inclusion for the Arab Region Initiative (FIARI), which it leads in collaboration with international partners.

The partnership agreement was signed by Dr Fahad Alturki, Director General and Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund, and Dr Ghiath Shabsigh, Secretary-General of the IFSB. The agreement formalises a strategic collaborative framework in four key areas: policy advice, capacity development, knowledge sharing and research, and analytical support for the AMF’s regional engagements and initiatives.

Aligned with both organisations’ strategies, the IFSB Strategic Plan 2025–2027, and the AMF Strategy 2025-2030, the agreement enhances both institutions’ ability to deliver technical assistance, support the adoption of global prudential standards, and facilitate the development of robust, sound, and inclusive Islamic finance sector in the region. It also builds on previous cooperation between the two institutions, expanding their joint efforts to address evolving sectoral challenges through structured and scalable engagement.

On this occasion, H.E. Dr. Fahad M. Alturki, Director General Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund, commended the ongoing efforts of Arab central banks and monetary authorities to enhance the resilience of the financial and banking sector. He highlighted their strides in strengthening regulatory frameworks, advancing prudential policies, and aligning with global standards and best practices. He also noted the importance of the topics on the Committee’s agenda and the valuable insights they offer.

H.E. Dr. Alturki further welcomed the participation of regional and international financial institutions, underlining the important role such engagement plays in enriching discussions. He concluded by reaffirming the strong interest and support of the Governors of Arab central banks in the Committee’s work and its essential contribution to the exchange of expertise and experiences across the region.

In this context, the AMF's Composite Index, which measures the overall performance of stock markets in Arab countries, recorded a 1.55% increase by the end of the first quarter of 2025 compared to the end of the fourth quarter of 2024. On an annual basis, the index achieved a growth rate of 4.37%.

At the individual market level, five Arab exchanges registered gains in their performance indicators during the first quarter, while ten exchanges saw declines during the same period. The Casablanca Stock Exchange led the list of top performers with a rise of 20.19%, followed by the Tunis Stock Exchange (10.25%), Kuwait (9.66%), Egypt (7.68%), and Amman (6.12%).

On the other hand, the stock markets of Saudi Arabia, Palestine, and Abu Dhabi posted slight declines of less than 1%. Seven other Arab exchanges experienced drops ranging from 1.21% in the Dubai Financial Market to 12.69% in the Beirut Stock Exchange.

The Council noted that access to financial services, including bank accounts and loans, plays a crucial role in improving living standards, supporting the financial independence of targeted groups, and reducing poverty rates. It further highlighted that the inclusion of these segments fosters innovation in the development of financial services and contributes to reinforcing economic stability. 

The Council also drew attention to the growing number of initiatives launched by public institutions and the private sector in Arab countries to enhance access to financial services for people with disabilities and vulnerable groups, through the enactment of supportive legislation and the development of tailored financial products.