The big question remains in the minds of citizens: Why does the government of Bahrain continue to issue sukuk and borrow despite the high oil prices and the large amount of liquidity generated from the oil trade?

Bahrain's budget deficit shrank to 4.7% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019 from 6.3% a year earlier, the ministry of finance said on Monday citing preliminary fiscal results.

Finance Ministers of the Gulf donor states met Bahrain's Finance Minister to review the Kingdom's achievements in implementing the Fiscal Balance Program, which was launched in October 2018.

The budget approved by the Government did not contain any information on the Gulf support allocated by 3 States to Bahrain, which raises many questions on the disbursement mechanisms and implementation monitoring.

Moody's changed the outlook for Bahrain's banking system to stable from negative as economic growth accelerates and due to the support package from gulf neighbours.

Minister of Finance and National Economy Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said that interests of public debt in 2019 budget reached BD 640 million.

Bahrain said it received $2.3 billion last year and is expecting another $2.28 billion in 2019 under an agreement with its Gulf allies to bail it out of a deficit, the government said on Thursday.

Bahrain has scrapped a plan to reform its cumbersome subsidy system, officials said on Tuesday, as authorities worry it could trigger more unrest in the Gulf island and complicate government efforts to repair public finances.

Data from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) showed the public debt of Bahrain during the first quarter of 2019 remained stable at 11.457 billion BD.

Saudi ambassador to Manama Abdullah Al-Sheikh said that Bahrain will receive the second payment of Gulf support "soon".

Minister of Finance and National Economy Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said that "work is underway to receive the second payment of the Gulf Support program soon".

A $10 billion bailout pledged to Bahrain - one of the Gulf's weakest economies - from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates is tied to a "general assessment" of its progress in rebalancing its fiscal position rather than to specific numbers, its finance minister said.

Bahrain Central Bank Governor, Rasheed Al Maraj, said that the Government received back in December the first $10 billion financial support package extended to Bahrain by Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, following the deterioration of the kingdom’s public debt situation and reluctance of investors to buy sovereign bonds offered in the market last year.

Moody's Investors Service yesterday changed Bahrain's rating to B2 with a stable positive outlook.

The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) lost 321.7 million BD of foreign assets ($848.7 million) within the first nine months of 2018.

More than 8,000 government employees have applied for the voluntary retirement program to date, reported the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) on Saturday (November 3, 2018).

The Bahraini regime's plan went well as it managed to get $10 billion dollars in Gulf support. This support is sufficient to cover the “regime’s deficit” over the next five years. We, as Bahrainis, wish this, but we do not trust that the regime will behave well.

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.

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.