ABU DHABI/SINGAPORE, Dec 10 – Asian investors are piling into Gulf bonds and loans this year, reflecting both deepening trade and finance ties with the fast-growing region and an uncertain outlook elsewhere, including the world’s top two economies, the United States and China.

Bond issuance in the Middle East and North Africa region jumped 20% year-on-year to $126 billion in ‍the first nine months of this year, according to LSEG data, with full-year records in sight both for the region and broader emerging market debt sales outside China.

That growth, driven largely by the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, represents both rising financing needs linked to oil- and gas-producing economies’ efforts to diversify, and growing demand from Asian investors reshuffling their portfolios.

“Clea

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