A new report by Standard & Poor’s looks at the current landscape in property markets in the Arabic-speaking countries of the Middle East and North Africa and what effect, if any, the recent unrest in the region has caused.

According to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Arab Emirates' economy should grow by 3.3 per cent this year which is slightly higher than previous forecasts.

Saudi Arabia has attracted nearly US$147 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), Amr Al-Dabbagh, Governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), said.

Lebanon's industrial exports increased by 8.26 per cent in 2010 to reach US$3.3 billion but the balance of trade deficit widened further.

Drake & Scull International (DSI), reported net profit of US$4.1mn for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 and recorded US$503mn in revenue for the same period.