Egypt's reliance on central bank funding may add to inflationary pressures

EGYPT. The Egyptian government is facing an increasingly difficult set of economic circumstances that could raise inflationary pressures and lead to further social unrest, says a report by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services

• Continued strong public spending expected to support non-oil growth in many oil producing countries
• Barclays bullish on equities, expectations of recovery on gold are mixed
• Louis Vuitton loses ground as world's most valuable luxury brand

Analysis: Syria - Outside patronage and a new offensive for the regime

iNTERNATIONAL. Control over Homs will enable al Assad to rapidly move forces from the north to the south to meet emerging rebel threats. It will also provide a key avenue of retreat to the Alawite coast in the event that he needs to flee Damascus.

• Commentary: Syria - Humanitarian disaster and political illusion
• Raid on Bitcoin exchange over-the-top, says Warwick Business School Professor
• Productivity growth and trade will deliver sustained economic growth in Bahrain

CSR increasingly more important in the Middle East

UAE. "We found 41% of participants indicated that CSR is reported directly to the CEO, which demonstrates the importance of CSR as an emerging business issue."

• AHAB responds to Sonecon's report and teleconference on managing defaults in Islamic Finance
• Dubai Digital Media Forum kicks off with Twitter executive
• JPMorgan shareholders keep Dimon chairman, CEO