Securities & Investment Company (SICO) has released an extensive report on Bahrain's Banking Sector. According to the report, the Kingdom's Banking sector is set to continue its growth momentum driven by buoyant regional economies, growth in the domestic economy, and the investor friendly regulatory regime. SICO forecasts that the total assets of Bahrain 's wholesale banks will grow at a CAGR of 15-20% over the next three years while retail banking assets are expected to grow at a faster pace of 20-25% over the same period driven by domestic liquidity, an increase in the expatriate population and a rise in average wages. The report identifies Islamic banking as a key driver of growth going forward as the growth in Shariah compliant assets will exceed the overall growth rate of the sector.

The full press release in English and Arabic can be downloaded here