Qatar's successful bid to host the 2022 football World Cup is a testimony to the country's global ambitions. Development projects are already under way to fulfil stadia, hotel capacity and infrastructure requirements, giving a further boost to the country's already burgeoning economy.
The collapse of its government earlier this year and subsequent political wrangling, together with less than optimistic trading figures, has left many fearing for the economic future of Lebanon. But the region has a long history of resilience in the face of adversity.
The conservative approach adopted by Lebanon's largely family-owned banking sector over the past decade has served it well in the post-crisis environment. Now its key players are increasingly eyeing an expansion into the frontier markets of eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Saudi Arabia stuttered during the global financial crisis, but never plumbed the depths of the world's more developed economies. Now, the country's leaders are eyeing a more prosperous future, with a key focus being on educating and employing its youth and women.
Qatar's decision to ban conventional banks from operating sharia-based finance units within its financial jurisdiction has left observers concerned the central bank has set the wrong kind of precedent, one that is likely to create uncertainty in banking throughout the Middle East.
The global interest in HSBC's recent IPO for Palestinian telecoms company Wataniya Mobile was not only a big success for the young telco, but also for Palestine in general, as it showed that the territory is a safe and potentially lucrative destination for capital markets.