The Bahraini government signed yesterday two deals worth $25 million with the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).

The new fees for commercial registrars will be approved in the coming days and are expected to be implemented this month, local newspaper Akhbar Al Khaleej reported.

Bahrain will receive up to $2 billion from its Gulf neighbors before the end of the year as the first installment of an aid package, and some funds have already arrived in state coffers, officials said on Thursday.

The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism reached an agreement regarding the trade fees.

Chief Executive of Bahrain Economic Development Board Khalid Al-Rumaihi said that the size of Saudi Arabia investments in Bahrain reached about 20 billion Saudi Riyal (2.3 billion BD out of the total investments), according to numbers published by the ministry of industry.

Saudi Aramco and Bahrain’s BAPCO have announced the commissioning of the AB-4 pipeline, a new phase of Saudi-Bahrain crude oil pipeline, the Saudi company said on Tuesday.

Bahrain does not plan to issue new U.S. dollar-denominated bonds this year, a central bank official told investors on Tuesday, after the kingdom secured a $10 billion aid package from Gulf neighbours last week, one source said.

Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has proclaimed its commitment to the implementation of the Value Added Tax (VAT) following its recent adoption by the Shura Council and the House of Representatives.

Bahrain's national oil company Bapco announced the completion of new pipeline project connecting Bahrain to Saudi Arabia, with the arrival of first quantity of oil to Bahrain's refinery on October 3. This followed successful and safe execution of mechanical completion and pre-commissioning activities over the past few weeks.

Bahrain plans to get structural reforms through parliament before a November election, including the introduction of value-added tax (VAT) and changes to the pension system, sources familiar with the matter said.

Bahrain’s central bank raised its interest rate on its one-week deposit facility to 2.50 percent from 2.25 percent, it said on Wednesday.

The Global Financial Centres Index showed that Bahrain dropped eight places to 59th out of a total of 110 centres analysed.

Sources say Bahrain has raised $500m from a private placement of bonds with five regional banks, reported Arabian Business.

Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Capital Secretariat said revenues of the capital's secretariat amounted to around BD 43 million with end of first half of this year.

On the occasion of the Egyptian President's visit to Bahrain, Egyptian Ambassador to Bahrain Suha Al-Far said that the Bahraini investments in Egypt amount to $4 billion.

Press information stated that Chairman of the board Samir Nass is to file a judicial lawsuit against 2 members in the current board of directors over their involvement in signing the contract of assigning the last executive chairman of the chamber Khalid Al-Rowaihi, when they were members in the previous board.

Consumer spending will dip and price inflation will rise in the immediate aftermath of the introduction of value added taxation (VAT) in Bahrain, according to the head of consultancy Ernst & Young’s VAT advisory services.

The Ministers of Finance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Bahrain reviewed options to providing the necessary support to enhance the stability of public finance and further stimulate economic growth in Bahrain.

Gulf finance ministers said on Wednesday they would support Bahrain’s financing needs after reviewing its proposed fiscal balance programme at a meeting in Manama.

Bloomberg economic news agency said that Bahrain and its allies from the Gulf states are making progress in the aid program to help Bahrain reform its financial situation and avoid a devaluation that could trouble neighboring markets.