Despite Qatar blockade, investors still bullish

Crisis could be subdued with traders fasting for Ramadan On June 5, the nation of Qatar received news that a bloc of Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia would cut air, sea, and land links with the peninsular monarchy. In Doha, worried residents emptied store shelves knowing that Qatar depends on sea routes and its land border with Saudi Arabia for nearly all its consumer goods. While the economic impact of the blockade on citizens was immediately evident, there was less clarity in financial markets. Although banking ties between Qatar and its Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) allies are in flux, the Qatari banking sector in general is well-capitalized and reportedly capable of weathering a short-term hit to its operations. The desert nation currently retains an investment grade rating, which gives it favorable borrowing costs should it need access to financing, and only six to eight percent of its total liabilities come from other GCC banks. In the longer term, however, experts warn that lack of access to GCC interbank operations could be a cause for concern. Could the blockade turn into more than a brief period of turbulence? Not likely, according to some investors. This isn’t the first time Qatar