Gulf sovereigns’ funding needs in 2015-2019 could be as high as $560 billion

In an article published today, titled “GCC Sovereigns’ Financing Needs In 2015-2019 Could Total $560 Billion,”

S&P Global Ratings says the consequences of the sharp fall in oil prices are clearly visible in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) sovereigns’ fiscal and external accounts.

The region’s funding requirement has been mounting since 2015, when the drop in oil-related revenue turned fiscal surpluses into deficits, although these differ among the sovereigns in scale and duration. We estimate that, in nominal terms, GCC sovereigns’ combined fiscal deficit will reach $150 billion (12.8% of combined GDP) in 2016 alone.

As a proportion of GDP, we expect that in 2016-2019 these deficits will average around 10% per year in Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, and 4% on average in Abu Dhabi and Qatar. In our view, GCC sovereigns’ financing needs will likely remain substantial over the next several years, given the region’s almost uniform dependence on hydrocarbons (see “Credit FAQ: How The Slump In Oil Prices Is Altering Standard & Poor’s View Of Hydrocarbon Exporters’ Sovereign Credit Ratings,” published March 2, 2016, on RatingsDirect).

We forecast that the cumulative funding requirement could be as high as $560

billion between 2015 and 2019. The resulting imbalances and their likely

impact have been central to our view of a significant deterioration in the

region’s creditworthiness over the past 18 months. Although most governments’

balance sheets remain a rating strength, the related assets are finite.

Furthermore, international liquidity sources could start to dry up at a time

when foreign inflows are most needed and the liquidity of domestic banking

systems is diminishing. This creates uncertainty about how, and at what price,

GCC sovereigns will cover their fiscal deficits.