Competition in GCC SME Lending markets: An Initial Assessment is on line

Lear is pleased to announce the publication of a new report on a study carried out on behalf of the World Bank Group. The study is a first competition assessment of the retail banking sector in the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Access to finance is one of the main obstacles to the growth of SMEs in GCC economies. Weak competition in the banking sector is a particular supply-side factor that constrains SMEs’ access to bank credit in the GCC.

The report analyzes how some key rules and regulations as well as institutional arrangements for the enforcement of competition law in the GCC may affect competition in the SME lending markets. The report also identifies measures to improve the regulatory and institutional environment, and ultimately increase access to financial services for SMEs while maintaining the stability of the banking sector.

To see the publication here