GCC banking systems face few immediate credit risks from the regional conflict that has followed attacks on Iran by Israel and the US, says Fitch since the GCC sovereign ratings generally have sufficient headroom to withstand a short regional conflict that does not escalate significantly further.
Emirates NBD said it has successfully closed $2.25 billion in long-term financing despite a challenging regional and global environment. The transaction includes a $1.75 billion five-year sustainability-linked syndicated term loan and a $500 million five-year Club Commodity Murabaha term facility.
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the independent banking, financial services and markets regulator of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), has announced the temporary closure of Nasdaq Dubai, effective March 2 to 3, 2026.
Bahrain’s banking sector continues to operate efficiently, maintaining uninterrupted services to its customers, thus demonstrating resilience and stability amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, supported by strong fundamentals and a robust regulatory framework, said the kingdom's top financial body.
Standard Chartered Bahrain has confirmed that its operations across the Kingdom remain fully functional and continue to run at full capacity.
Standard Chartered said it is maintaining normal service under work-from-home arrangements in the Middle East.
Financial institutions in Bahrain continue to demonstrate a high level of readiness and adaptability amid recent regional developments with the financial sector remaining fully operational, maintaining its essential role in serving customers and supporting economic activity.
The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) affirmed that the kingdom’s banking and financial sector continues to operate at the highest levels of readiness amid the current regional developments and the repercussions of the Iranian aggression taking place in the region.
Ithmaar Bank, a Bahrain-based Islamic retail bank, has appointed Hani Ghayath as the new head of Information Technology (IT) department. An industry veteran, Ghayath has 22 years of experience in both IT and the banking sector.
Mashreq, a leading banking institution in the Middle East, has delivered a net profit before tax of AED6.1 billion ($1.66 billion) and net profit after tax of AED5.2 billion ($1.42 billion) for the first nine months of 2025, marking another strong earnings performance driven by diversified income growth, disciplined balance-sheet management, and consistent operational excellence across the franchise.
