Why Investors Shy Away From Saudi Arabia

As oil prices have slumped into the low $40s per barrel, a new economic model that would offset the losses for the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is more urgent than ever, yet multiple Middle Eastern conflicts are making that tougher to achieve. It's clear that oil, gas, refining and petrochemicals alone cannot provide the jobs and diversification that the Middle East needs.

Put simply, a continual stream of bad news and threatened disruptions to business deters new investors, especially those from far away who lack the know-how to pick their way through local complexities. The scale of the challenge is stark, even for Saudi Arabia.