FEAS Yearbook FEAS Yearbook 2011 | Page 110

FEDERATION OF EURO-ASIAN STOCK EXCHANGES ANNUAL REPORT APRIL 2011 PALESTINE EXCHANGE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS Political Developments The Palestinian economy faces several challenges due to the Israeli occupation, yet, and in spite of these difficulties, it possesses great growth potential. Palestine owns an advanced and sophisticated banking system and a modern capital market which has the confidence of the public. The Palestinian economy continued to grow in 2010, but this growth remains driven by the PA’s spending financed by donor assistance. The Palestinian Government Reform and Development Plan (PRDP) The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has worked hard to spread security, strengthen the private sector, enhance investor confidence and provide the proper investment environment so as to confront Israeli policies and prepare for state building on the 1967 borders. Tangible results were witnessed in the first three quarters of 2010 including: • Increase in government local revenues (tax and non-tax) by 17.3% thus reduced dependence on foreign support. • Decline in Government expenditures by 2.7%. • Decline in the deficit of the government general budget by 22.5%. • Increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 9%. • Increase in the GDP Per Capita by 5%. • Decline in the Unemployment Rate by 24%. *source of information: Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (www.pcbs.org.ps) Information obtained from the Exchange. Key Information Contacts Palestine Capital Market Authority: www.cma.gov.ps Ministry of Finance: www.mof.gov.ps Ministry of National Economy: www.met.gov.ps Palestinian Investment Promotion Agency: www.pipa.gov.ps Palestine Monetary Authority: www.pma-palestine.org Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics: www.pcbs.org.ps Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction: www.pecdar.org Palestine Institute for Financial & Banking Studies: www.pifbs.com Palestine Media Center: www.palestine-pmc.com Custodian Bank - HSBC Bank Middle East: www.middleeast.hsbc.com Settlement Bank - Arab Bank Palestine: www.arabbank.ps PAGE 108