Let me just note that more than 5 percentage points of the increase in the HICP can be directly attributed to the more volatile components of the index (energy and food).
Bahrain’s economy has become the most diversified of any in the GCC, with the financial sector accounting for over one quarter of our national output, a larger share than oil production and processing. At present, over 400 licensed financial institutions operate in Bahrain, including 133 banks and 167 insurance companies. Many are branches or offices of major financial institutions.