Saudi Arabia - FT Special Report

Big and powerful but slow to modernise
Andrew England and Abeer Allam analyse the problems faced by rulers of the world’s top oil producer

Economy: Business feud damps prospects
Andrew England on the cloud hanging over an otherwise optimistic outlook

Banking: Conservatism and an aversion to lending sprees
Banks are in better shape than most, writes Robin Wigglesworth

Oil: Expansion into lead position
Carola Hoyos reports on this year’s two big achievements

Diplomacy: Confident and more assertive on world stage
For all its claims, the kingdom is often found wanting, writes Andrew England

Politics: Monarchy fearful of change
Abeer Allam on the kingdom’s slow pace of reform

Real estate: Market holds up in spite of regional turbulence
Robin Wigglesworth on insularity that has spared Saudis from property freefall

Capital markets: Tighter rules and better transparency welcomed
Financial watchdog is baring its teeth, says Robin Wigglesworth

Women: Where life depends on the mood of the men
Heba Saleh finds slight movement in the centuries-old traditions

Education: A deeply uneven pace of change
Grand visions often stumble in face of alternative agendas, says Abeer Allam

Employment: Locals remain to be convinced of need to get their hands dirty