JEDDAH:

Saudi Arabia's central bank has tightened restrictions on cash withdrawals from banks using credit cards in an effort to head off any consumer debt problems. Previously, under an informal industry arrangement customers could obtain cash advances equivalent to as much as 50 percent of their monthly credit card spending limits, paying hefty fees to do so, bankers said. An official ceiling of 30 percent has been imposed, according to regulations posted on the central bank's website.