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Market Insights & Strategy

FAB’s Market Insights & Strategy team is based within the bank’s Global Markets business and as such provides finger-on-the-pulse insights and views on macroeconomic and geopolitical developments as well as Rates, FX, Oil, and Fixed Income, among other areas.

Daily Updates

Latest Insights

In the news
October 2, 2025

GCC & Egypt Macro Weekly: Money, money, money, must be funny…

Our weekly analysis offering a strategic outlook for the coming week, along with key macro themes and trends impacting the GCC & Egypt region. The report also includes a recap on the past week, as well as a summary of the key data releases and macro events in the week ahead; along with macro chart packs covering the MENA & Global Markets.

Simon Ballard, Chief Economist
Almaha Al Nuaimi, Analyst
Read Full Article
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In the news
September 26, 2025

Friday GCC&E Real Estate Market Pulse

Welcome to our inaugural issue of the Friday (GCC&E) real estate pulse.  The GCC and wider region’s real estate markets continue to show strong activity, with the UAE at the forefront. According to the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre, transactions in the first half of 2025 reached some USD14.7bn, with residential deals accounting for roughly USD6.8bn. Please read on…

Almaha Al Nuaimi, Analyst
Simon Ballard, Chief Economist
Read Full Article
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In the news
August 14, 2025

LSEG/FAB Interview - Oil Market Outlook & Geopolitical Risks

Glenn Wepener, Chief Strategist, discusses the current outlook on the oil market and geopolitical risks.

Watch the video
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In the news
July 17, 2025

GCC & Egypt (GCC&E) Fixed Income Chart Book - FY 2025 Mid-Year Review

In this edition we have reviewed the key primary and secondary market developments during H1 2025 and some key emerging trends. YTD hard currency new issuances from the region have reached $86bn, with Saudi issuers accounting for 54% share and UAE issuers’ share at 26%. Sukuk format remains a preferred choice for issuers, supported by strong demand and the depth of liquidity available with the Islamic investor base.

- Rakesh Sahu, Analyst
Read Full Article
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Hot Topics
June 13, 2025

SITREP Iran

Our initial thoughts on Israel’s unilateral attack on Iran on 13th June morning.

- Glenn Wepener, Chief Strategist, Market Insights & Strategy
Read more
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In the news
June 2, 2025

GCC & Egypt Fixed Income Update - State of Kuwait, Staging a ‘Grand Return’ to the Bond Market

For nearly a decade Kuwait remained absent from international debt markets due to the lack of a legal framework permitting sovereign borrowing. With the recent approval of the new public borrowing law by the Parliament in March 2025...

- Rakesh Sahu, Director, Market Insights & Strategy
Read Full Article
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Market Insights
January 14, 2025

Macro Strategy Update: EURUSD - Pathway to Parity

In this report we discuss the current outlook for EURUSD and its current descent toward parity. Whichever way we look at it – technically or fundamentally – we would suggest that the path of least resistance for EURUSD remains lower and that it is only a matter of time before the Euro reaches – and possibly breaks through – the psychological level of parity to the U.S. dollar. Indeed, such is the psychological impact of parity, that once it is breached it could trigger an exodus of sustained selling. Please read on…

- Simon Ballard, Chief Economist, Market Insights & Strategy
Read the full article
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Market Insights
December 11, 2024

Global Macro Outlook 2025 - On the Lookout for the ‘Black Swan’

Global growth remained resilient throughout much of 2024 as robust job creation and solid household finances continued to drive consumer spending. Yes, there have been some setbacks in the global macro narrative recently such as the net disappointing U.S. nonfarm payrolls report for October, even after adjusting for hurricanes and strikes as well as the poorly received UK budget all of which has been drag on sentiment.

- Simon Ballard, Chief Economist, Market Insights & Strategy
Read the full article
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Market Insights
December 5, 2024

Key Risks In 2025

As 2024 draws to a close, the impact of the past 12 months from conflicts to hotly contested elections will no doubt continue to be felt in the year ahead. In this piece we focus on a few of the key risks to keep an eye on in 2025, some of which are not that new but are becoming far more acute in our polarized world.

- Glenn Wepener, Chief Strategist, Market Insights & Strategy
Read the full article
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In the news
October 2, 2025

GCC & Egypt Macro Weekly: Money, money, money, must be funny…

Our weekly analysis offering a strategic outlook for the coming week, along with key macro themes and trends impacting the GCC & Egypt region. The report also includes a recap on the past week, as well as a summary of the key data releases and macro events in the week ahead; along with macro chart packs covering the MENA & Global Markets.

Simon Ballard, Chief Economist
Almaha Al Nuaimi, Analyst
Read Full Article
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
In the news
September 26, 2025

Friday GCC&E Real Estate Market Pulse

Welcome to our inaugural issue of the Friday (GCC&E) real estate pulse.  The GCC and wider region’s real estate markets continue to show strong activity, with the UAE at the forefront. According to the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre, transactions in the first half of 2025 reached some USD14.7bn, with residential deals accounting for roughly USD6.8bn. Please read on…

Almaha Al Nuaimi, Analyst
Simon Ballard, Chief Economist
Read Full Article
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
In the news
August 14, 2025

LSEG/FAB Interview - Oil Market Outlook & Geopolitical Risks

Glenn Wepener, Chief Strategist, discusses the current outlook on the oil market and geopolitical risks.

Watch the video
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
In the news
July 17, 2025

GCC & Egypt (GCC&E) Fixed Income Chart Book - FY 2025 Mid-Year Review

In this edition we have reviewed the key primary and secondary market developments during H1 2025 and some key emerging trends. YTD hard currency new issuances from the region have reached $86bn, with Saudi issuers accounting for 54% share and UAE issuers’ share at 26%. Sukuk format remains a preferred choice for issuers, supported by strong demand and the depth of liquidity available with the Islamic investor base.

- Rakesh Sahu, Analyst
Read Full Article
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
Hot Topics
June 13, 2025

SITREP Iran

Our initial thoughts on Israel’s unilateral attack on Iran on 13th June morning.

- Glenn Wepener, Chief Strategist, Market Insights & Strategy
Read more
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
In the news
June 2, 2025

GCC & Egypt Fixed Income Update - State of Kuwait, Staging a ‘Grand Return’ to the Bond Market

For nearly a decade Kuwait remained absent from international debt markets due to the lack of a legal framework permitting sovereign borrowing. With the recent approval of the new public borrowing law by the Parliament in March 2025...

- Rakesh Sahu, Director, Market Insights & Strategy
Read Full Article
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
Market Insights
January 14, 2025

Macro Strategy Update: EURUSD - Pathway to Parity

In this report we discuss the current outlook for EURUSD and its current descent toward parity. Whichever way we look at it – technically or fundamentally – we would suggest that the path of least resistance for EURUSD remains lower and that it is only a matter of time before the Euro reaches – and possibly breaks through – the psychological level of parity to the U.S. dollar. Indeed, such is the psychological impact of parity, that once it is breached it could trigger an exodus of sustained selling. Please read on…

- Simon Ballard, Chief Economist, Market Insights & Strategy
Read the full article
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
Market Insights
December 11, 2024

Global Macro Outlook 2025 - On the Lookout for the ‘Black Swan’

Global growth remained resilient throughout much of 2024 as robust job creation and solid household finances continued to drive consumer spending. Yes, there have been some setbacks in the global macro narrative recently such as the net disappointing U.S. nonfarm payrolls report for October, even after adjusting for hurricanes and strikes as well as the poorly received UK budget all of which has been drag on sentiment.

- Simon Ballard, Chief Economist, Market Insights & Strategy
Read the full article
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
icon.button-arrow-blue.alt
Market Insights
December 5, 2024

Key Risks In 2025

As 2024 draws to a close, the impact of the past 12 months from conflicts to hotly contested elections will no doubt continue to be felt in the year ahead. In this piece we focus on a few of the key risks to keep an eye on in 2025, some of which are not that new but are becoming far more acute in our polarized world.

- Glenn Wepener, Chief Strategist, Market Insights & Strategy
Read the full article
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More insights

Hot Topics

Our Global Markets team's analysis on the big stories of the moment across the region.

The Middle East & African Monitor

Our popular thrice-weekly geo-political and market related commentary of the MENA and Sub-Sahara regions.

Macro Strategy and Economic Updates

Reports on a range of macroeconomic subjects with a particular focus on MENA and the region.

Daily Morning News

Catch up on key news items before starting the day.

Daily Market Chatter

Daily views on key market movements, activity and sentiments directly from the traders in our Global Markets team. An on-the-pulse document that covers areas such as FX, rates, fixed income, derivatives, etc.

GCC & Egypt (GCC&E) Fixed Income

A quarterly review of GCC bond and sukuk markets.

GCC and Egypt (GCC&E) Macro Weekly

Weekly analysis that offers key macro themes and trends impacting the GCC and Egypt region.

Media

Our Global Markets team in the Media.

Events

Global Markets client events and conferences.