gulfnews : Oil revenues help Gulf bonds beat emerging-market debt

Arabian Gulf bonds are beating emerging-market debt this year as increasing revenue from oil exports help the region withstand global financial-market turmoil better than most developing nations.

Dollar notes from the Gulf Cooperation Council have returned 6 per cent in 2011, according to the HSBC/Nasdaq Dubai GCC US Dollar Sukuk/Bond Index. Emerging-market securities worldwide gained 3.2 per cent, JPMorgan Chase & Co. data show.

The average cost of insuring Middle East's sovereign debt rose 104 basis points this year to 305 on September 23, trailing similar measures that jumped 132 to 276 in the Asia-Pacific region, according to data provider CMA.

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