Celine Salloum

   In a region that stretches from Morocco to Kuwait and covers terrain from mountains to desert, the range of economic activity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is as varied as the geography. "In terms of sectors, each country has its own sweet spot”. Investors are now scrutinizing each sector in the wake of the global economic downturn that swept through the region in 2009, and the Arab political unrest that erupted in 2011. Funds are focused on markets where economic growth is driven by solid fundamentals and sectors that are resistant to the fluctuations in the global economic cycle.     In 2011’s first quarter, global investment markets were shaken by a range of extraordinary events – from social and political unrest throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa, to unresolved nuclear event in Japan following a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami. Over the course of the first quarter, investors were able to easily adjust their allocations t...

   The first half of 2011 has been a tough ride for investors. Disaster in Japan and the ongoing euro zone debt crisis have sent markets reeling, but perhaps the most telling long-term impact will come from the so-called Arab spring .    Funds investing in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have had some difficult calls to make and the hardest task of all has been to protect client capital that has been developed during the preceding years. Since the beginning of the year, the region has seen unprecedented political unrest which spread from Tunisia to Egypt , Oman , Bahrain , Libya and Syria . However, despite the upheaval, the long-term prospects for the region remain good. Equity markets in the region, such as in Qatar and Saudi Arabia , have rebounded strongly from lows at the height of the political crisis and have now wiped out almost all of the losses for the year. The Middle East equity capital market recorded an 81% increase to $8.3 billion in t...

   At times the stock market can be volatile, and may fray the nerves of even the calmest investor. While market crises may be unavoidable and unsettling, they aren’t the end of the world. In fact, investors looking to stretch their money know that market lows may represent advantageous buying opportunities.    A few years ago, when people discussed investing, they held a certain reverence for the word. It was a necessity. People liked to talk about their financial statements and brag about how well their investments are doing. After the drop, the word “investment” is now used almost as a curse word.    Despite the economic downturn and a lot of less-than pleasing financial statements, investing still matters. People are emotional creatures. While we like to believe that we make rational investment decisions, actually emotions like greed and fear influence these decisions. As investor “Warren Buffett”, Graham's favorite student, puts it: “Be fearful when...

   A multitude of perceptions are imparted by this simple word beauty; a word tossed around these days in a vast array of application, a word wrangled by poets and philosophers for eons. A descriptive noun, initially alluding to the finer attributes of appearance; it has become a course of study, a specialty in healthcare with taproots into psychology. Whole careers, their prerequisites, their success or failure, can be determined by it. The quest for beauty is a driving force in consumerism and it’s used to sell a plethora of products ranging from cosmetics to cars. An indeterminable number of books, magazines, and publications address this phenomenon. Is beauty determined only in the eye of the beholder? Or, is it really outside of us altogether? Can beauty even be fully defined? Should defining it even be necessary? As it seems to have become such a driving force, an affection, in our culture, I’d say yes, the attempt should be made so I’ll give it a go.     ...

   This is a question which must have crossed every person’s mind quite a number of times. Friendship is something which connects people through mutual knowledge, esteem and affection. It revolves around loyalty, empathy, genuine affection for each and the ability to understand others.    We often think whether our friend really cares and feels for us in the same way that we do. If they indeed do, then you are one of the fortunate people in the world. Today’s world, has become very fast and artificial. What looks apparent from outside may not be the same from inside. People try to take advantage of one another, all in the name of friendship. Friendship somewhere down the line has lost its significance. Friendship at one time meant lots of sacrifice and doing anything for one another. In Today’s world, it also means hanging around coffee shops, movies, discos and having a good time together. People these days have taken friendships to be a kind of recreation and a ...