Falling oil prices can be a double-edged sword in terms of economic impact: welcomed by consumers, but not by producers. Franklin Templeton Emerging Markets Equity’s Bassel Khatoun shares his thoughts on the impact of lower oil prices on emerging market economies and some considerations for investors

There are tangible signs economies in the MENA region have reformed and evolved over the past decade, according to Franklin Templeton Global Sukuk and MENA Fixed Income’s Dino Kronfol, and Franklin Templeton Emerging Markets Equity’s Bassel Khatoun and Salah Shamma. They outline the opportunities they see in the year ahead.

As investors ponder the prospects for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Franklin Templeton Emerging Markets Equity’s Bassel Khatoun and Salah Shamma take stock of the investment landscape. They highlight some of the market developments in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that have caught their attention.

Index provider MSCI’s decision to include Saudi Arabia in its emerging-markets index will likely transform the Kingdom’s equity market, and potentially those across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, according to Bassel Khatoun and Salah Shamma, Franklin Templeton Emerging Markets Equity.