Reuters Qatar’s stock index sank to a five-year low on Wednesday as foreign funds continued to sell ahead of third-quarter corporate earnings, while banks in Egypt were hit by news that the central bank would raise the required reserve ratio. The Qatari index lost 1.6 percent in thin trade, bringing its losses since four other Arab states broke off ties ...

Bloomberg Egypt’s central bank will increase the reserve requirement for lenders next week, potentially paving the way for cutting interest rates even as it battles soaring inflation triggered by a sharp currency devaluation. The reserve ratio, used to control money supply, will increase to 14 percent from 10 percent from October 10, the regulator said. It said the measure was ...

Bloomberg Malaysia, and to a lesser degree Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, remain more exposed to exchange rate risk than other developing economies in East Asia and the Pacific as global financial conditions tighten, the World Bank said. Companies and banks in these countries have sizeable external debt, although foreign exchange reserves currently appear adequate, the Washington-based multilateral lender said ...