The Banking System and Its Performance in Saudi Arabia

As part of the Saudi financial system, banking has made a significant contribution to the economic development of the Kingdom. Indeed, its performance is now regarded as the barometer of Saudi Arabia's economic health. With an increased role envisaged for the private sector, the contribution of the commercial banks is sure to expand in the future. This explains the importance of Dr al-Dukheil's book. His study provides an overview of the origins and growth of the banking industry in Saudi Arabia, its contribution to the country's economic development and its expanding role in the 1990s. The issues now facing the commercial banks, together with the emerging trends in information technology, globalization, the financing needs of small-scale industries, Saudization, Islamic banking, etc are also discussed. The book covers more than ten years of statistical analysis of the Saudi banks' financial performance during the 1980s and early 1990s. This is the first such major and comprehensive statistical work, coupled with an in-depth analysis and interpretation.