Here in Bahrain, the finishing touches are now being put on plans for introducing private health insurance for expat workers, and recent legislative changes with respect to pensions mean that some employees now have to consider their need for supplementary private pensions.
The heightened uncertainty about changes in the macroeconomic outlook calls for a great deal of caution in interpreting the estimates put forth by a number of parties on the possible increase in NPLs. Although it is expected to rise, the non-performing loan rate should nonetheless stay well below the peaks reached during the euro-area sovereign debt crisis.