عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

Morocco's Economic Growth Seen Slowing to 3% in 2027

File photo of a police officer standing near a Moroccan national flag near the main stadium during preparations for the FIFA Club World Cup in Agadir, December 10, 2013. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
File photo of a police officer standing near a Moroccan national flag near the main stadium during preparations for the FIFA Club World Cup in Agadir, December 10, 2013. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
TT
TT

Morocco's Economic Growth Seen Slowing to 3% in 2027

File photo of a police officer standing near a Moroccan national flag near the main stadium during preparations for the FIFA Club World Cup in Agadir, December 10, 2013. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
File photo of a police officer standing near a Moroccan national flag near the main stadium during preparations for the FIFA Club World Cup in Agadir, December 10, 2013. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Morocco's economic growth is expected to slow to 3% in 2027 from 4.8% projected for this year, although the fiscal deficit should still narrow, the national statistics agency HCP said on Monday.

The economic forecast was based on the assumption of a return to an average cereal harvest in 2027 after a strong rebound in the agricultural sector this year following abundant rainfall, HCP said in a report, Reuters reported.

The current account deficit is expected to widen to 3.9% of gross domestic product in 2026 from last year's 2.4% before narrowing slightly to 3.6% in 2027, as weaker foreign demand for Moroccan goods weighs against a backdrop of slowing global trade growth, according to HCP.

The fiscal deficit is forecast to narrow to 3.2% of GDP in 2027 from 3.4% in 2026, as higher tax revenue offsets increased government spending, HCP said. Public debt is expected to edge lower to 76.1% of GDP in 2027 from 76.5% in 2026.

Most Viewed

 
 
Business

Saudi Stock Market Drops 2.3% to Lowest Close Since 2021

A person stands in front of a screen showing falling stock prices (Reuters)
A person stands in front of a screen showing falling stock prices (Reuters)
TT
TT

Saudi Stock Market Drops 2.3% to Lowest Close Since 2021

A person stands in front of a screen showing falling stock prices (Reuters)
A person stands in front of a screen showing falling stock prices (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia's benchmark stock index ended Thursday's session down 2.3 percent, shedding 231 points to close at 9,696, its lowest closing level since 2021, with total trading turnover reaching approximately SAR 4.9 billion.

The Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) fluctuated between an intraday low of 9,640 points and a high of 9,888 points.

Thursday's decline brought the index's weekly losses to more than 400 points, or 4.1 percent, marking its eighth consecutive week of declines.

Most stocks fell during the session, led by Saudi National Bank, which dropped more than 5 percent to SAR 34.62, with approximately 9 million shares traded.

Saudi Aramco and Al Rajhi Bank each declined 1 percent, closing at SAR 25.40 and SAR 59.80, respectively, while Maaden fell 5 percent to SAR 55.90.

Shares of Retal, Al Yamamah Steel, East Pipes, Jahez, Gulf Training and Saudi Steel Pipe ended the session with losses ranging from 5 to 9 percent.

Meanwhile, Electrical Industries, Abo Moati, Umm Al-Qura Cement, Saleh Al-Rashed, Wafrah, Saudi Vitrified Clay Pipe and Watani Iron Steel each fell 10 percent.

On the upside, Al-Etihad rose 10 percent to SAR 6.16, followed by JAZADCO with gains exceeding 9 percent. Shares of Al Arabia, UCIC and Saudi Kayan advanced between 1 and 3 percent.

Business

Barclays Bank to Cut about 5,000 Jobs amid AI Drive

Barclays says the job cuts are due to AI efficiencies. Paul ELLIS / AFP/File
Barclays says the job cuts are due to AI efficiencies. Paul ELLIS / AFP/File
TT
TT

Barclays Bank to Cut about 5,000 Jobs amid AI Drive

Barclays says the job cuts are due to AI efficiencies. Paul ELLIS / AFP/File
Barclays says the job cuts are due to AI efficiencies. Paul ELLIS / AFP/File

British bank Barclays announced Thursday plans to cut around 5,000 jobs, or roughly five percent of its global workforce, by the end of 2026 in an AI efficiency drive.

The announcement came alongside an earnings update that showed Barclays' net profit grew 13 percent in the third quarter, fueled by surging income across its equities division, said AFP.

Barclays said in an earnings presentation that it was implementing "organizational simplification and technology change efficiency driven by AI".

"About 60 percent of the job losses relate to support functions, including fewer developers as AI makes our people more productive," it added.

The bank's profit after tax grew to £1.65 billion ($2.2 billion) in the third quarter from £1.46 billion in the July-September period a year earlier.

Barclays chief executive C. S. Venkatakrishnan noted "ongoing momentum of... operational and financial performance" and said the investment bank division "delivered strong equities performance".

Revenue from equities jumped 47 percent year-on-year, while total group income for the quarter climbed three percent to £7.37 billion.

Barclays' share price was up slightly following the news updates.

The AI "announcement comes as the company failed to match expectations with its third-quarter performance -- with the unveiling of a healthy share buyback failing to entirely ease investors' disappointment", noted AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

"Across the wider group, costs went up and Barclays shareholders are also having to contend with two major clouds over the business.

"The first being a widely expected increase in tax on the sector in next week's (UK) budget and the other being a reported probe into possible misrepresentation of risks in its private credit portfolio."

Business

Norway Sovereign Wealth Fund Loses Over $30 Bn in 3rd Quarter

A view shows the building of Norway’s central bank (Norges Bank) in Oslo, Norway, June 23, 2022. REUTERS/Victoria Klesty/ File Photo
A view shows the building of Norway’s central bank (Norges Bank) in Oslo, Norway, June 23, 2022. REUTERS/Victoria Klesty/ File Photo
TT
TT

Norway Sovereign Wealth Fund Loses Over $30 Bn in 3rd Quarter

A view shows the building of Norway’s central bank (Norges Bank) in Oslo, Norway, June 23, 2022. REUTERS/Victoria Klesty/ File Photo
A view shows the building of Norway’s central bank (Norges Bank) in Oslo, Norway, June 23, 2022. REUTERS/Victoria Klesty/ File Photo

Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest with assets of more than $2 trillion, on Thursday reported a negative return of 278 billion kroner ($31 billion) in the third quarter as it was weighed down by higher interest rates.

It posted a negative return of 0.5 percent in the quarter, dragged down by a negative return of 3.5 percent in its fixed-income investments, while its equity and property portfolios increased by 0.5 percent and 0.4 percent respectively.

"The fund's return was close to flat, ending slightly negative as rising interest rates led to weaker results on our fixed-income investments," the fund's deputy CEO Trond Grande said in a statement.

Invested primarily in equities, bonds and real estate across the globe, the fund reported a value of 22,014 billion kroner at the end of September.

Inflation around the world, fuelled in particular by soaring energy prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East, has led several central banks, including the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, to raise interest rates in the third quarter.

"Equity returns were also close to zero, but there were large differences between sectors.

Energy companies rose the most, while interest-rate-sensitive sectors such as utilities and real estate fell," Grande said, according to Reuters.

Fueled by the Nordic country's oil revenues, the fund is invested in more than 7,100 companies spanning the globe, and holds around 1.5 percent of all listed companies worldwide, making it the world's largest single investor.