Bahrains economy recorded an increase in total non-oil exports during the first eight months of 2017 amounting to about $4.8 billion, compared to the same period of 2016, of 4.7 billion dollars. Exports increased from $3.6 billion during the first half of 2016 to $3.8 billion in 2017, which is an increase of 16.9 percent on a yearly basis, while metals and metal products dominated exports. Bahrains economy continued to grow beyond expectations in 2017 following a series of infrastructure projects valued at more than $32 billion. The growth rate of the economy during the last nine months of 2017 was 3.6 percent, compared to 3.2 percent for the same period in 2016. The growth was supported by the non-oil private sector, which grew 4.8 percent in the first nine months of 2017, reflecting the momentum of infrastructure projects that are expected to lead more growth in 2018. Bahrains oil sector remains relatively stable, with only a 0.3 percent decline during the third quarter of 2017, benefiting from rising oil prices and increasing gas extraction and production rates. The social affairs sector grew by 9.3 percent, hotel and restaurant sector by 8.6 percent, the trade sector by 7.7 percent, and transportation and communications sector by 5.8 percent, while the real estate and business sector grew by 4.6 percent. In another indicator of the strength of the economy, Bahrain’s Islamic Index (BIX) closed on an increase of 19.7 percent, while the value of shares traded last year amounted to BD 211.3 million, an increase of 69.8 percent compared to the same period in 2016. Infrastructure investments in Bahrain continued to have strong impacts on the economy with both government and private investment activities expanding in 2017. The infrastructure projects adopted by the Bahraini government include the “Airport Modernization Program”, to be completed in the third quarter of 2019 with investments of $1.1 billion. The project will increase the airport’s capacity to 14 million passengers annually. Alba’s Line 6 Expansion Project is one of the largest brownfield developments in the region. Expected to begin production by January 2019, the project will boost the smelter’s per-annum production by 540,000 tons, bringing its total production capacity to 1.5 million tons per year. Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) refinery signed a deal for $4.2 billion to expand the capacity of the existing Sitra oil refinery from 267,000 up to 360,000 barrels per day, which will improve energy efficiency, valorization of the heavy part of the crude oil barrel, enhancing products slate and meeting environmental compliance. The tourism sector has invested in tourism infrastructure with a total value of more than $13 billion, as Bahrain undergoes an unprecedented period of investments in the tourism infrastructure. There are around 14 strategic projects that will contribute to restructuring tourism in Bahrain.