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		<title>Arabianbusiness.com - Standard & Poor's</title>
		<description>ArabianBusiness.com - Business and Industry News coverage of the Middle East including Stock Markets, Events, Video and Audio.</description>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:11 +0400</pubDate>
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			<title>Any Gulf bank mergers to focus on Kuwait, UAE - S&amp;amp;P</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=573953&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Ratings agency doesn't see big M&A trend in GCC in foreseeable future.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>Dubai debt repayments total $50bn by 2012 - S&amp;amp;P</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=570588&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Rating agency says Dubai gov't may face tough choices in supporting entities.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>Sukuk market continues to progress in 2009 - S&amp;amp;P</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=566608&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Islamic bonds' issue tops $9.3bn in the first seven months of 2009 compared with $11.1bn Y-o-Y.]]></description>
			<category>Islamic Finance | News</category>
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			<title>Qatar National sees limited exposure to Algosaibi - paper</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=562997&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Qatari newspaper cites comments from bank's exec GM, Ali Ahmed al-Kuwari.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>Saudi banks up Q2 loan loss provisions</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=562730&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Banque Saudi Fransi and Samba moves come amid concerns about some debt-laden Saudi firms.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>S&amp;amp;P downgrades 4 Dubai banks</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=561310&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Agency says actions taken due to difficult financing environment and expected asset quality deterioration.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>S&amp;amp;P cuts rating on Oman United Insurance </title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=560705&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Agency says insurer’s competitive position negatively impacted by regulatory changes.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>Standard practice</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=563340&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Arabian Business talks to Charbel Azzi about S&P’s hard sell on the best financial indices in the Middle East.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | Interviews</category>
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			<title>Dubai Holding-Emaar merger deal raises questions</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=560447&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Value of land owned by units of DH involved in deal questioned by analysts.]]></description>
			<category>Real Estate | News</category>
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			<title>Qatar's inflation to ease to about 8% in '09-10 - survey</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=558644&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Gulf state to gain from dollar strengthening, completion of new property projects. ]]></description>
			<category>Politics &amp; Economics | News</category>
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			<title>Bahrain sukuk priced at lower end of expectations </title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=558162&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Fund manager says tight pricing will limit liquidity of sovereign sukuk issue.]]></description>
			<category>Islamic Finance | News</category>
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			<title>Saad woes cloud region - Moody's </title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=558161&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Agency says problems at Saudi company will impact how it assesses privately-held firms across Gulf region.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>S&amp;amp;P downgrades SAIB </title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=557573&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Ratings agency cites Saudi bank’s weakening profitability and potential deterioration in financial profile.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>Oil price fall - Bahrain and Saudi seen vulnerable</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=554714&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[S&P report says both economies too heavily weighted towards energy production.]]></description>
			<category>Energy | News</category>
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			<title>Saudi predicted to emerge quickest from global crisis</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=554154&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Kingdom's economy seen by Standard and Poor's as being in best position in Gulf region.]]></description>
			<category>Politics &amp; Economics | News</category>
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			<title>Gulf banks facing tough 2009 - S&amp;amp;P</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=554130&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Standard and Poor's analyst says tighter liquidity, slumping stock markets will hit credit profiles.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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		<item>
			<title>S&amp;amp;P warns high costs may curtail sukuk growth</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=554002&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Cost of structuring, issuing, plus fragmented approach to compliance may put investors off. ]]></description>
			<category>Islamic Finance | News</category>
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		<item>
			<title>S&amp;amp;P revises Standard Chartered outlook to negative </title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=553642&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Agency says UK bank's dependence on wholesale banking makes it vulnerable.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>Global benchmark for Sharia companies falls Q1 - S&amp;amp;P</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=553350&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Benchmark declines but continues to outperform non-Shariah compliant companies.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>S&amp;amp;P downgrades Arcapita Bank</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=551806&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Ratings agency lowers long-term counterparty credit rating for Bahrain's Arcapita to 'BB' from 'BB+'.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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		<item>
			<title>MENA countries to suffer in wake of Gulf slowdown</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=551331&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[S&P forecasts fall in remittances from expats in Gulf will hit Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan.]]></description>
			<category>Politics &amp; Economics | News</category>
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		<item>
			<title>VTB to enter sukuk issuance market</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=550020&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Russia's 2nd largest bank may issue the country's first Islamic bonds in a deal worth 'several' million dollars.]]></description>
			<category>Islamic Finance | News</category>
			<guid>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=550020&amp;Itemid=1</guid>
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			<title> S&amp;amp;P confirms Dubai’s financial security</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=549875&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Ratings agency reaffirms belief Dubai can raise finance from government or private sector.]]></description>
			<category>Financial Markets | News</category>
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			<title>S&amp;amp;P cuts outlook for Emirates Insurance </title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=548752&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Abu Dhabi-based insurer sees outlook revised to negative, but financial strength ratings affirmed.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>S&amp;amp;P affirms Oman's credit ratings</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=548458&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Outlook stable as agency affirms 'A' long-term and 'A-1' short term sovereign credit ratings.]]></description>
			<category>Politics &amp; Economics | News</category>
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			<title>IFIs face hit on profits due to property slowdown</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=547964&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Direct exposure to real esate for Islamic Financial Institutions topped 20% in 2008. ]]></description>
			<category>Islamic Finance | News</category>
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			<title>S&amp;amp;P puts group of Kuwaiti banks on CreditWatch negative</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=546984&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Gov't support package to be crucial to credit profile of Kuwait's banks - ratings agency. ]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>S&amp;amp;P downgrades Investcorp, ratings withdrawn</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=545043&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Bahraini bank withdraws credit ratings after calling rating agency review 'unjustified'.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>MENA fund managers optimistic about future prospects</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=545021&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Survey of region's fund managers shows medium to long term prospects are good.]]></description>
			<category>Banking &amp; Finance | News</category>
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			<title>S&amp;amp;P cuts outlook for GFH to negative</title>
			<link>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=544850&amp;Itemid=1</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Ratings agency affirms BBB-/A-3 long and short-term counterparty ratings for the Islamic investment bank.]]></description>
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