WP/10/87 The GCC Banking Sector: Topography and Analysis Abdullah Al-Hassan, May Khamis, and Nada Oulidi © 2010 International Monetary Fund WP/10/87 IMF Working Paper Monetary and Capital Markets and Middle East and Central Asia Departments The GCC Banking Sector: Topography and Analysis Prepared by Abdullah Al-Hassan, May Khamis, and Nada Oulidi Authorized for distribution by Daniel Hardy and Abdelhak Senhadji April 2010 Abstract This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF. The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate. In this paper, we analyze the evolution of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) banking sectors in the six member countries including ownership, concentration, cross-border linkages, balance sheet exposures and risks, recent trends in credit growth, and financial soundness. We identify risks to the banking sector's financial stability in the context of the current global crisis and their mitigating factors. JEL Classification Numbers: G20; G21 Keywords: Gulf Cooperation Council; banking sector; credit growth; financial statements Authors’ E-Mail Addresses:
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[email protected] 2 Contents Page I. Introduction ............................................................................................................................4 II. Structure of the