The Bahrain Stock Exchange
Many people not especially educated in the market may think of the Bahrain Stock Exchange as a place you’d trade oil stocks, not general stocks. They are wrong. Bahrain is one of the most dynamic places in the Middle East. Its government is open and encouraging to trade, and its ruler is very interested in encouraging free trade in his country. Bahrain has a long tradition as a commercial center in the Middle East, and this reputation has enhanced its ability to encourage trade. The Bahrain Stock Exchange opened in 1989, and is already one of the most popular exchanges outside of Wall Street in the world. The government of Bahrain has encouraged offshore banking, insurance, and financial services; as a result, much of the wealth in the Middle East is concentrated in the banks of Bahrain. In combination with the friendly attitude of Bahrain toward keeping commerce free-flowing and relatively unimpeded by government, this has made Bahrain a very attractive investment location for wealth from all over the world. Concentrate wealth in one physical location, and financial instruments will abound. The Bahrain stock exchange is already one of the busiest in the world. It does trade heavily in the expected oil commodities, but is remarkably diverse. Many international companies, from Microsoft to Citigroup, have large centers here, and the population of Bahrain is very cosmopolitan. With oil as the mainstay of the Bahrain stock exchange, however, its fortunes tend to ebb and flow with the value of black gold. If you’re considering investing in the Bahrain stock exchange, watch oil prices. If you expect them to rise, you can also expect the Bahrain market to go