If I look at the development of prices and the annual investment activity at once I can see certain coherence between the two. (slide) While global invested volumes fell by two thirds from 2007 to 2009, they almost doubled after that in only two years to almost 400 billion U.S. dollars.
Nonetheless, we believe that Bahrain will continue to play a major role as the financial centre of choice for the Middle East and North Africa region. We will continue to encourage a diversified financial sector in which fund management and insurance will play an increasingly prominent role.