86% criticise Kuwait stock exchange protests by Andy Sambidge Thursday, 30 October 2008

Around 50 dealers and investors demonstrated outside Kuwait’s stock market, criticising the government for allowing small investors to suffer after the Arab world’s second-largest bourse suffered in the global financial crisis.

The Kuwait bourse has fallen in value alongside other exchanges in the Gulf region over the past few weeks but during 2008 is actually one of the best performers in the world.

And 71 percent of people who took part in our poll called the actions of the protesters "pathetic", adding that they had to accept the bad times because they were happy to take advantage of the good times.

A further 16 percent of respondents said the investors should spend more time concentrating on their jobs of predicting the market moves rather than demonstrating when times are hard.

Brokers handed out leaflets accusing the government of protecting major investors while allowing smaller investors to suffer during the demonstrations last week.

Trading on the Kuwait bourse continued during the protests although many trading desks were vacant.

Kuwait’s exchange hit a 18-month low on Wednesday before recovering slightly and eight percent of respondents said they were fully behind the protests of the investors and dealers.

Another five percent applauded their right to demonstrate during difficult times but pointed out that the Kuwait bourse was far from the worst performer in the region.