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The enduring geopolitical crisis had its dampening effect on the regional bourses, including Qatar Stock Exchange, which Monday saw its index dip 81 points and capitalisation.text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[90082]**erode QR5bn. A higher than average selling pressure, especially in the real estate, consumer goods and industrials sectors, drove the 20-stock Qatar Index down 0.8% to 10,045.6 points.The Gulf institutions were seen bearish in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 5.95%.About 81% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation eroded QR4.93bn or 0.83% to QR591.63bn with mid and small cap segments losing the most.The Arab retail investors were seen net profit takers in the main market, whose index however touched an intraday high of 10,114 points."The index remains within the negative territory as it closes below all moving averages on the weekly chart. The first improvement sign would happen once the bulls manage to overcome 10,430 points, also found here the upper end level of the one-year descending trend line, which will then increase the chances of targeting 11,215 point," a Kamco Invest technically analysis note said.The Islamic index fell faster than the other indices in the main bourse, which saw a total of 3,980 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Doha Bank) valued at QR0.04mn changed hands across four deals.The domestic institutions turned net sellers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Gulf individuals were increasingly into net profit booking in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index shrank 0.8%, All Share Index by 0.78% and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.85% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The realty sector index plummeted 1.86%, consumer goods and services (1.56%), industrials (0.87%), banks and financial services (0.78%), insurance (0.69%) and telecom (0.31%); while transport gained 0.42%.Major losers in the main market included Alijarah Holding, Qatar Oman Investment, Mazaya Qatar, Ezdan, Inma Holding, Commercial Bank, Lesha Bank, Qatari German Medical Devices, Salam International Investment, Baladna, Industries Qatar, Estithmar Holding, Barwa and Gulf Warehousing.Nevertheless, Dlala, Gulf International Services, Milaha and Nakilat were the gainers in the main bourse. In the venture market, Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares appreciate in value.The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR28.74mn compared with net buyers of QR12.6mn on October 15.The Arab individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR7.14mn against net buyers of QR2.98mn the previous day.The domestic institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR2.76mn compared with net buyers of QR18.91mn on Sunday.The Gulf individual investors’ net profit booking rose perceptibly to QR1.45mn against QR0.53mn on October 15.However, the foreign funds were buyers to the extent of QR44.61mn compared with net sellers of QR14.88mn the previous day.The foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.34mn against net sellers of QR10.02mn on Sunday.The Arab institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR0.02mn compared with net sellers of QR0.26mn on October 15.The local retail investors’ net profit booking weakened markedly to QR4.87mn against QR8.8mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market rose 19% to 153.38mn shares, value by 36% to QR465.65mn and deals by 41% to 17,137.The venture market saw trade volumes jump almost 17-fold to 4.81mn equities and value by more than 17-fold to QR7.34mn on more than 12-fold growth in transactions to 480.

High prices of liquefied natural gas (LNG) led Qatar's banking sector register a 22% growth in net earnings to QR2.8bn in 2022, according to Ernst & Young (EY).Additionally, the banking sector will benefit from Qatar’s commitment to fiscal discipline and its goal of becoming a regional financial hub, EY said in a report.The government has implemented numerous measures to stimulate the country’s economy, including an ambitious infrastructure investment programme, and these investments are expected to result in increased demand for banking services, it said.The Qatar Central Bank is enabling the transformation of the banking sector by supporting the growth of the country’s fintech and payments scene, according to EY.According to the EY Middle East and North Africa H1 (first half) 2023 Banking Report, the region experienced a remarkable year-on- year growth with a 30% surge in net profits and a 12.2% increase in net assets.Meanwhile, the year-on-year returns on equity recorded a rise of 6.18%, and the net interest margin grew by 0.2%.This robust performance extended to the region's banks, which witnessed an 18.8% growth in operating income. Total deposits have increased by 6.08% and the loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) by 5.43%.Non-performing loans (NPLs) are expected to remain at the current levels in 2023, with banks adopting a selective approach to lending.The outlook for the region has been strengthened by robust oil and gas prices and a major boost in non-oil activity, which has also supported credit demand.Other prominent trends dominating the banking sector include robust fiscal condition, government investments, an anticipated improvement in the global economic landscape and technological advancements."With limited effect to the ongoing banking industry crisis in the US and Europe, the GCC banking sector has undergone a fundamental transformation and is now pursuing a strong upward trajectory, boosted by an increasing demand for lending. This development is playing an increasingly important role in the region’s overall economic growth amidst ongoing economic diversification drives," said Charlie Alexander, EY MENA Financial Services Leader.Another positive trend is the pursuit of net-zero roadmaps by most GCC countries, which has led to a rise in the demand for sustainable finance, a key enabler of the transition to clean energy, according to him.Highlighting that digital banking solution is on the rise to meet evolving consumer needs; EY said artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the financial services industry in the region, bringing faster and more personalised banking services through chatbot.The report said front-to-back modernisation, cloud migration and robotic process automation can help banks establish connections between customer-facing operations and back-end servicing, minimising inefficiencies."Over the past six months, we have seen an accelerated adoption of growth of digital transformation and implementation of robust risk management practices in the region, which should not be forgotten in the frenzy of growth. Financial institutions are also increasing their transparency and disclosure of environmental and social risks and impacts," said Houssam Itani, EY Mena Banking and Capital Markets Leader.

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) Sunday opened the week with a rollercoaster ride as its key index finally settled six points higher despite 65% of the traded constituents extending losses to investors.The industrials, consumer goods and real estate sectors witnessed higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index was up 0.06% to 10,126.46 points.The domestic and Gulf funds were increasingly into net buying in the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated further to 5.19%.The Arab individuals were seen bullish in the main bourse, whose capitalisation however shrank QR0.78bn or 0.13% to QR596.56bn with microcap segments losing the most.The local retail investors’ weakened net profit booking had its influence in the main market, which however touched an intraday high of 10,165 points.The Islamic index outperformed the other indices in the main bourse, which saw a total of 0.02mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Doha Bank) valued at QR0.09mn changed hands across 10 deals.However, the foreign institutions were seen bearish in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The foreign individuals turned net profit takers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index was up 0.06% and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.18%, while All Share Index was down 0.04% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The industrials sector index shot up 1.25%, consumer goods and services (0.64%) and realty (0.18%); while telecom declined 1.53%, transport (0.84%), banks and financial services (0.45%) and insurance (0.12%).Major movers in the main market included Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Industries Qatar, Zad Holding, Barwa and Woqod.Nevertheless, Qatari German Medical Devices, Ooredoo, Meeza, Ezdan, Milaha, Masraf Al Rayan, QNB, Gulf Warehousing and Nakilat were among the losers in the main bourse. In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value.The domestic institutions’ net buying increased noticeably to QR18.91mn compared to QR4.39mn on October 12.The Gulf institutions’ net buying strengthened considerably to QR12.6mn against QR2.88mn the previous trading day.The Arab individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR2.98mn compared with net sellers of QR8.7mn last Thursday.The local retail investors’ net profit booking decreased substantially to QR8.8mn against QR19.93mn on October 12.The Gulf individual investors’ net selling weakened markedly to QR0.53mn compared to QR8.8mn the previous day.However, the foreign institutions were net sellers to the extent of QR14.88mn against net buyers of QR28.08mn last Thursday.The foreign individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR10.02mn compared with net buyers of QR2.08mn on October 12.The Arab institutions were net profit takers to the extent of QR0.26mn against no major net exposure the previous trading day.Trade volumes in the main market declined 15% to 128.69mn shares, value by 23% to QR369.44mn and deals by 32% to 12,150.The venture market saw a 67% plunge in trade volumes to 0.29mn equities, 75% in value to QR0.42mn and 69% in transactions to 39.

The Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) Sunday suggested a seven-point agenda for the global leaders to ensure ethical and sustainable economies."To advance an ethical and sustainable economy, we must take actions on several fronts," Musa Kulaklikaya, Assistant Secretary-General for Administration and Finance, OIC, told the 6th International Conference on Islamic Finance, jointly organised by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC).Asserting that the first and foremost was the sovereign policies and regulations; he said the government must implement and enforce policies that incentivise ethical and sustainable conduct.Ethical business practices, supply chain transparency and sustainability initiatives should be central for the corporate sector, he said.Kulaklikaya said consumers have a great role to play as they could choose from companies that follow and practice ethical and sustainable standards.There should be investment in innovation as there is a need to improve ethical standards through the use of technology, according to him.Highlighting that education and awareness, Kulaklikaya said they are important to raise the importance of ethics and sustainability.He emphasised on the need for international collaboration in addressing the global issues like climate change, inequality and poverty."An ethical and sustainable economy is not just an option but more a survival strategy for our planet," he said, adding there was a need to build sustainable practices at leverage level of the society.The conference is of the view that the Islamic finance has undergone a remarkable transformation since its inception. In the light of the global financial instabilities and socio-economic challenges, it has become imperative to redirect the focus of Islamic finance towards addressing contemporary issues, which can be achieved by integrating emerging technologies and remaining steadfast in upholding the ethical and moral principles of Islamic finance.Sheikh Yousef Hassan Khalawi, Secretary-General, Al-Baraka Islamic Economics Forum, Saudi Arabia, and Board Member, Al-Baraka Group; talked about the ethical and sustainable strategies for the Islamic finance, while Dr Recep Şentürk, Dean, HBKU’s College of Islamic Studies gave a welcome note.Islamic finance offers a distinctive perspective by prioritising ethical and moral values, including social responsibility and distributive justice, the conference committee said adding by incorporating these values into practices, Islamic finance can contribute to building a more stable and equitable global economy, according to the conference.

Islamic finance can prove to be a persuasive tool for addressing the global sustainable development goals, according to a top official of Qatar Financial Centre (QFC).Addressing the sixth International Conference on Islamic Finance, Nasser al-Taweel, deputy chief executive officer and chief legal officer, QFC, said the world is confronted by important issues that demand urgent attention, such as the growing gap between rich and poor countries and the return of extreme poverty.Furthermore, the ongoing climate challenges are rapidly approaching a critical threshold, leading to concerning impacts on the earth's ecological balance and stability, according to him."In these critical times, Islamic finance can be a compelling tool for addressing the global sustainable development goals, propelling us toward the sustainable and equitable socio-economic condition we all desire," he said at the conference, jointly organised by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and QFC.Islamic finance principles are inherently aligned with sustainable and equitable financial practices, discouraging investments that harm the environment or exploit vulnerable populations, he added.Through the promotion of ethical and socially responsible financial activities, facilitation of financial inclusion, and support for sustainable projects, Islamic finance institutions can make substantial contributions to global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) endeavours, according to him.The QFC official highlighted that the United Nations' recent report on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development paints a clear picture of reversed progress across a number of its 17 goals, owing to a number of crises taking place in different parts of the world.“This sobering assessment is echoed by the World Economic Forum, which likewise signals a concerning reversal of progress in critical areas,” he said.Exploring ways to harness Islamic finance' s vast potential to address pressing environmental and socio-economic issues; he said "we will delve into emerging technologies as pivotal drivers of financial innovation, unearthing substantial opportunities for Islamic finance to expand its reach, enhance accessibility, and streamline processes, all while upholding its unwavering ethical foundations.""Furthermore, we will explore ways to make Islamic financial services accessible to a broader spectrum of society in order to promote financial inclusion. At the same time, we will look into strategies that ensure Islamic finance instruments are employed judiciously in funding sustainable and socially responsible projects that align seamlessly with these principles," he added.He said the QFC and HBKU share a common vision for the advancement of Islamic finance and this shared commitment is evident in its partnership to bring this annual event to fruition."Our dedication extends to creating an environment conducive to the flourishing of Islamic finance, one that fosters collaboration, knowledge exchange, and exposure to novel ideas and technologies that drive industry growth," he said.

The easing of the US rate concerns and higher oil prices extended a strong buying support this week to the Qatar Stock Exchange, which overcame the negative sentiments owing to the changed geopolitical situation.The foreign institutions were seen bullish as the 20-stock Qatar Index gained 0.57% this week which saw QNB report net profit of QR11.87bn in the first nine months of this year.The banking sector alone saw its index surge in the main market this week which saw QNB successfully refinance $2bn unsecured term loan.Nevertheless, more than 66% of the traded constituents in the main bourse were in the red this week, which saw Industries Qatar subsidiary Qatar Steel completes acquisition of Al Qataria for Production of Reinforced Steel for QR346mn.The local retail investors continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse this week, which saw the International Monetary Fund forecast that Qatar’s real gross domestic product growth is projected to be 2.4% this year and 2.2% in 2024.The Gulf individuals were seen increasingly into net selling in the main bourse this week which saw the country's hospitality sector report lower (year-on-year) rooms’ yield this August despite a 78% jump in visitor arrivals.The Islamic index declined vis-a-vis gains in the other indices in the main market this week which saw a total of 0.04mn Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored exchange-traded fund QATR worth QR0.08mn trade across 14 deals.The Gulf institutions turned net profit takers in the main market this week which saw as many as 0.12mn Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR1.15mn change hands across 52 transactions.Market capitalisation added QR3.85bn or 0.65% to QR597.34bn on the back of midcap segments this week which saw the industrials and banks together constitute more than 52% of the total trade volume in the main bourse.The Total Return Index rose 0.57% and the All Share Index by 0.68%, while the All Islamic Index lost 0.64% this week, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The banks and financial services sector index surge 2.14%; while transport declined 1.85%, consumer goods and services (1.32%), telecom (0.88%) and insurance (0.77%). The index of industrials was rather unchanged this week which saw no trading of treasury bills.Major gainers in the main market included QNB, Dlala, Commercial Bank, Industries Qatar, Mekdam Holding, Beema, Qatar National Cement and Qatar Industrial Manufacturing this week which saw Qatar’s automobile sector see a robust month-on-month growth in August 2023.Nevertheless, Inma Holding, United Development Company, Mazaya Qatar, Baladna, Doha Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Estithmar Holding, Qamco, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, QLM, Ezdan, Ooredoo, Milaha and Nakilat were among the shakers in the main bourse. In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value this week.The foreign funds were net buyers to the tune of QR40.92mn compared with net sellers of QR90.99mn the week ended October 5.However, the Gulf individuals’ net profit booking increased noticeably to QR21.04mn against QR5.24mn a week ago.The Gulf funds turned net sellers to the extent of QR17.23mn compared with net buyers of QR37.43mn the previous week.The domestic institutions were net profit takers to the tune of QR14.15mn against net buyers of QR14.47mn the week ended October 5.The foreign individuals turned net sellers to the extent of QR4.33mn compared with net buyers of QR6.99mn a week ago.The Arab individual investors were net sellers to the tune of QR0.36mn against net buyers of QR1.32mn the previous week.The Arab institutions turned net profit takers to extent of QR0.09mn compared with no major net exposure the week ended October 5.The local retail investors’ net buying weakened substantially to QR16.27mn against QR36.04mn a week ago.The main market witnessed a 1% jump in trade volumes to 907.97mn shares, 10% in value to QR2.45bn and 15% in deals to 86,107 this week.In the venture market, trade volumes shrank 14% to 3.16mn equities, value by 20% to QR4.88mn and transactions by 23% to 366.

Qatar's banking system is slated to see a reduction in net external debt in the next 12-24 months and the concerns over its external funding stability is mitigated by non-resident deposits' linkage to long-term investments in the country, according to Standard and Poor's (S&P), a global credit rating agency."We expect the reduction in net external debt to continue in the next 12-24 months, driven by the same factors as in 2022 and supported by a reduced need for external funding," S&P said in its report.In early 2022, the Qatar Central Bank changed regulations, aimed at reducing the use of external debt to grow domestic balance sheets. That, alongside rising interest rates, led to a "significant unwinding" of non-resident deposits, and has somewhat changed the overall structure of the country’s external debt, the rating agency said.Over 2022, non-resident deposits fell by more than $20bn, equal to about one third of their value at the end of 2021; while interbank deposits increased by more than 13%, leading to an overall $17bn decline in net banking system external debt.An increase in resident deposits of $23.2bn (up 12.3%) - 41.5% from the public sector and 58.5% from the private sector - offset the decline in non-resident funds.Highlighting that the rationale for Qatar’s development of an external debt imbalance was the desire to secure low-cost funding for significant domestic expenditures; S&P said with the completion of some major infrastructure developments, and due to increased government revenues, "we expect spending (and funding pressures) will ease."Moreover, the credit rating agency said its concerns on Qatar’s external funding stability are mitigated by its understanding that a significant portion of the non-resident deposits are linked to longer-term investments in Qatar.Reportedly, the funds also include deposits from Qatari companies abroad and possibly from entities partly owned by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund.Also, "we expect funding support would be available from the government and central bank if needed," it said.In this regard, S&P noted that in 2017, the banking system experienced outflows of about $20bn, which were more than compensated by a more than $40bn deposit injection from the government and its related entities."Indeed, one of Qatar’s strengths is its external finances, which are in a strong net asset position, bolstered by the government’s substantial wealth fund," the report said.Qatar’s banking system, which still carries a "significant" amount of net external debt, is unlikely to expand much this year 2023, implying a lower need for external funding, it said.Although Qatari banks benefit from geographical funding diversification, some of these external sources are less stable. As on March 31, 2023, the equivalent of almost two-thirds of the domestic funding gap was covered by capital markets and due to branches and head offices, while the remainder was covered by interbank deposits.Amid scarcer and more expensive global liquidity, "we expect Qatari banks to continue mobilising domestic resources to meet future growth", the rating agency said.However, S&P do not expect the latter to materially pick up until a major new investment programme is implemented by the government.

Reflecting easing global concerns about the US interest rates, the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) Wednesday saw its index jump more than 171 points to surpass 10,000 and.text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[87751]**capitalisation add QR11bn. The foreign institutions turned bullish as the 20-stock Qatar Index shot up 1.74% to 10,023.13 points.The banking sector witnessed higher than average demand in the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated further to 6.16%.The Gulf institutions were seen net buyers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR11.21bn or 1.93% to QR592.77bn with large and midcap segments gaining the most.The Arab individuals were increasingly net buyers in the main market, which touched an intraday high of 10,072 points.The Islamic index rose slower than the other indices in the main bourse, which saw a total of 0.04mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.15mn changed hands across 12 deals.The Gulf retail investors’ weakened net selling had its influence on the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.More than 68% of the traded constituents extended gains in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index gained 1.74%, the All Share Index by 1.97% and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.88% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The banks and financial services sector index shot up 3.36%, insurance (1.39%), transport (0.85%), real estate (0.62%), consumer goods and services (0.53%) and industrials (0.46%); while telecom was down 0.04%.Major gainers in the main market included Dlala, Al Khaleej Takaful, QNB, Doha Insurance, Qatari German Medical Devices, Commercial Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Salam International Investment, Qatari Investors Group, Qamco, QLM, Ezdan, Gulf Warehousing and Milaha. In the venture market, Mahhar Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.Nevertheless, Inma Holding, Widam Food, Estithmar Holding, Medicare Group and Qatar Islamic Insurance were among the shakers in the main market.In the junior bourse, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.The foreign institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR50.73mn compared with net sellers of QR1.13mn on October 10.The Gulf institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR12.31mn against net sellers of QR33.49mn on Tuesday.The Arab individual investors’ net buying increased marginally to QR5.62mn compared to QR4.97mn the previous day.The Gulf individual investors’ net profit booking weakened markedly to QR1.67mn against QR9.52mn on October 10.However, the domestic institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR36.19mn compared with net buyers of QR12.61mn on Tuesday.The local retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR23.72mn against net buyers of QR22.58mn the previous day.The foreign retail investors turned net profit takers to the tune of QR7.09mn compared with net buyers of QR4mn on October 10.The Arab institutions continued to have no major net exposure for the third straight session.Trade volumes in the main market shot up 12% to 224.43mn shares, value by 31% to QR674mn and deals by 37% to 23,586.The venture market saw a 21% surge in trade volumes to 0.8mn equities, 49% in value to QR1.27mn and 9% in transactions to 71.

Doha's outskirts displayed opportunities for the real estate and construction sectors as Al Shamal, Al Shahaniya, Al Daayen and Al Rayyan municipalities saw double-digit month-on-month growth in building permits issued this September, even as the general trend was on the decline at the national level, according to official data.The country saw as many as 655 building permits issued in September 2023, which however shrank 2% month-on-month and 26% year-on-year in the review period, according to the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA).Al Rayyan, Doha and Al Daayen municipalities together constituted 68% of the total building permit issued in September 2023.The building permits data is of particular importance as it is considered an indicator for the performance of the construction sector which in turn occupies a significant position in the national economy.Al Rayyan constituted 180 permits or 27% of the total, Doha 138 permits (21%), Al Daayen 130 permits (20%), Al Wakra 112 permits (17%), Umm Slal 37 permits (6%), Al Khor 30 permits (5%), Al Shahaniya 18 permits (3%), and Al Shamal 10 permits (1%) in the review period.On a monthly basis, the total building permits issued in Al Khor saw a 27% plunge, Umm Slal (23%), Al Wakra (16%), and Doha (9%); whereas those in Al Shamal, Al Shahaniya, Al Daayen and Al Rayyan witnessed 43%, 29%, 19% and 12% increase respectively in September 2023.Total building permits issued in Doha fell 39% year-on-year this September, Al Shamal (38%), Al Wakra (32%), Al Rayyan (28%), Umm Slal (27%), Al Khor (25%), and Al Shahaniya (10%); while those in Al Daayen rose 12%.The new building permits (residential and non-residential) constituted 226 permits or 35% of the total building permits issued, additions 407 (62%) and fencing 22 (3%) in September 2023.Of the new residential buildings permits, villas topped the list, accounting for 75% (134), dwellings on housing loans 13% (23), and apartments 8% (14).Among the non-residential sector, commercial structures accounted for 28% or 13 permits, other unspecified non-residential 25% or 12 permits, and the industrial buildings as workshops and factories 19% (nine permits).Qatar saw a total of 346 building completion certificates issued in September 2023, of which 279 or 81% was for the new buildings (residential and non-residential) and 67 or 19% for additions.Al Wakra constituted 109 certificates or 32% of the total number of building completion certificates issued in the review period, Al Rayyan 76 (22%), Doha 64 (18%), Al Daayen 45 (13%), Umm Slal 22 (6%), Al Khor 16 (5%), Al Shahaniya 10 (3%) and Al Shamal four (1%) in September 2023.The total building completion certificates issued in the country saw a 10% month-on-month fall in September 2023 with Al Shamal registering 67% plunge, Umm Slal (51%), Al Daayen (37%), Al Rayyan (34%), and Al Shahaniya (17%).However, Al Khor, Al Wakra and Doha reported 60%, 49% and 39% increase respectively in the review period.The total building completion certificates issued in the country tanked 39% on an annualised basis in September 2023 with Al Shamal reporting 73% contraction, Al Daayen (55%), Al Rayyan (52%), Doha (41%), Umm Slal (19%) and Al Wakra (17%). Nevertheless, those issued in Al Khor and Al Shahaniya was unchanged in the review period.Of the 204 residential buildings completion certificates issued this September, as many as 155 or 76% were for villas, 28 or 14% dwelling on housing loans, 8% or 16 for apartments, and five others.Of the 155 villas completion certificates issued in September 2023, as many as 36 were in Al Rayyan, 32 in Al Daayen, 31 in Al Wakra, 25 in Doha, 13 in Umm Slal, 12 in Al Khor, four in Al Shahaniya and two in Al Shamal.In the case of 16 apartments, Doha issued eight completion certificates; four in Al Daayen, two in Al Wakra, and one each in Umm Slal and Al Khor.

The domestic institutions’ net buying support Tuesday helped the Qatar Stock Exchange snap four consecutive days of bearish run and its key index added 16 points. .text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}} **media[87185]**The real estate, industrials, telecom, consumer goods and banking counters witnessed higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.16% to 9,851.97 points.More than 51% of the traded constituents extended gains in the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated to 7.76%.The Arab retail investors were seen net buyers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR1.81bn or 0.31% to QR581.56bn with midcap segments gaining the most.The foreign individuals were increasingly bullish in the main market, which however touched an intraday high of 9,944 points.The Islamic index rose faster than the main index in the main bourse, which saw a total of 0.06mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.59mn changed hands across 21 deals.The foreign institutions’ weakened net selling had its influence in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The local retail investors continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index gained 0.16%, All Share Index by 0.2% and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.2% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The realty sector index rose 0.9%, industrials (0.73%), telecom (0.29%), consumer goods and services (0.25%) and banks and financial services (0.21%); while transport and insurance declined 1.34% and 0.79% respectively.Major gainers in the main market included Lesha Bank, Qatari German Medical Devices, Inma Holding, Beema, Al Khaleej Takaful, Dlala, Industries Qatar, Aamal Company, Mazaya Qatar, Gulf International Services and Ezdan.Nevertheless, Gulf Warehousing, Nakilat, Qatari Investors Group, Qatar Insurance, Doha Bank, Alijarah Holding and Qatar Islamic Bank were among the shakers in main bourse. In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value.The domestic institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR12.61mn compared with net sellers of QR1.16mn on October 9.The Arab individual investors were net buyers to the extent of QR4.97mn against net sellers of QR1.7mn on Monday.The foreign retail investors’ net buying increased perceptibly to QR4mn compared to QR1.32mn the previous day.The foreign institutions’ net profit booking decreased substantially to QR1.13mn against QR31.97mn on October 9.However, the Gulf institutions’ net selling increased significantly to QR33.49mn compared to QR6.95mn on Monday.The Gulf individual investors’ net profit booking expanded markedly to QR9.52mn against QR0.95mn the previous day.The local retail investors’ net buying weakened considerably to QR22.58mn compared to QR41.42mn on October 8.The Arab institutions continued to have no major net exposure for the second straight session.Trade volumes in the main market shot up 10% to 200.18mn shares, value by 12% to QR515.98mn and deals by 3% to 17,192.The venture market saw a 65% surge in trade volumes to 0.66mn equities to more than double value to QR0.85mn on 41% jump in transactions to 65.

The Qatar Stock Exchange Monday lost a huge 165 points in key index and more than QR10bn in capitalisation with foreign funds increasingly squaring off their position. .text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}} **media[86856]**The telecom, real estate and banking sectors witnessed higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index knocked off 1.64% to 9,836.22 points.As much as 84% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened further to 7.91%.The foreign funds were increasingly net profit takers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation eroded QR10.16bn or 1.72% to QR579.75bn with large and midcap segments losing the most.The Gulf institutions turned net sellers in the main market, which, however, regained from an intraday low of 9,807 points.The Islamic index declined faster than the other indices in the main bourse, which saw a total of 0.02mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.22mn changed hands across 17 deals.The domestic institutions were seen bearish in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Gulf retail investors were increasingly into net selling in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index shed 1.65%, the All Share Index by 1.64% and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 1.71% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The telecom sector index plummeted 2.47%, realty (2.28%), banks and financial services (2.05%), consumer goods and services (1.39%), transport (1.12%) and industrials (1.05%); while insurance rose 0.27%.Major losers in the main market included Ooredoo, Mazaya Qatar, Ezdan, Dlala, Qatari German Medical Devices, Meeza, QNB, Doha Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Salam International Investment, Baladna, Gulf International Services, Qamco, Al Khaleej Takaful and United Development Company.In the venture market, Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, Qatar Insurance and Doha Insurance were the two losers in the main market. In the junior bourse, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.The foreign institutions’ net profit booking increased substantially to QR31.97mn compared to QR4.78mn on October 8.The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR6.95mn against net buyers of QR8.02mn the previous day.The Arab individual investors’ net selling strengthened perceptibly to QR1.7mn compared to QR0.55mn on Sunday.The domestic institutions were net sellers to the extent of QR1.16mn against net buyers of QR6.21mn on October 8.The Gulf retail investors’ net profit booking expanded marginally to QR0.95mn compared to QR0.11mn the previous day.However, the local retail investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR41.42mn against net sellers of QR4.08mn on Sunday.The foreign individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR1.32mn compared with net sellers of QR4.63mn on October 8.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net profit takers to the extent of QR0.09mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market shot up 23% to 182.35mn shares, value by 43% to QR461.37mn and deals by 53% to 16,618.Nevertheless, the venture market saw a 2% contraction in trade volumes to 0.4mn equities, 38% in value to QR0.42mn and 22% in transactions to 46.

The Qatar Stock Exchange Sunday opened the week on a weaker note with its key index falling below 10,000 points intraday but some last minute buying helped it finally settle at.text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[86490]**10,001.16 points.The real estate, insurance, industrials, consumer goods and transport sectors witnessed higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index lost 0.61% or 61 points.As much as 75% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened further to 6.37%.The foreign individuals turned bearish in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR3.58bn or 0.6% to QR589.91bn with small and midcap segments losing the most.The local retail investors were seen net profit takers in the main market, which regained from an intraday low of 9,985 points.The Islamic index declined faster than the other indices in the main bourse, which saw a total of 0.03mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.26mn changed hands across 15 deals.The Arab individuals turned bearish in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Gulf retail investors were seen net sellers in the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index shed 0.61%, the All Share Index by 0.65% and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.75% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The real estate sector index plummeted 2.12%, insurance (1.95%), industrials (0.98%), consumer goods and services (0.96%), transport (0.94%) and banks and financial services (0.3%); while telecom gained 0.38%.Major losers in the main market included Al Khaleej Takaful, Doha Insurance, United Development Company, Qatar Oman Investment, Lesha Bank, Inma Holding, Qatari German Medical Devices, Baladna, Industries Qatar, Estithmar Holding, Gulf International Services, Qamco and Mazaya Qatar.In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, Widam Food, Mannai Corporation, Ooredoo, Mekdam and Vodafone Qatar were among the gainers in the main bourse.The foreign individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR4.63mn compared with net buyers of QR4.19mn on October 5.The local retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR4.08mn against net buyers of QR34.72mn last Thursday.The Arab individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.55mn compared with net buyers of QR0.06mn the previous trading day.The Gulf retail investors were net profit takers to the extent of QR0.11mn against net buyers of QR0.98mn on October 5.The Arab institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.09mn compared with no major net exposure last Thursday.The Gulf institutions’ net buying weakened noticeably to QR8.02mn against QR9.81mn the previous trading day.However, the domestic institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR6.21mn compared with net sellers of QR2.09mn on October 5.The foreign institutions’ net profit booking decreased substantially to QR4.78mn against QR47.68mn last Thursday.Trade volumes in the main market decreased 20% to 148.82mn shares, value by 33% to QR323.05mn and deals by 31% to 10,833.Nevertheless, the venture market saw a 71% surge in trade volumes to 0.41mn equities, 84% in value to QR0.68mn and 64% in transactions to 59.

The Group Securities and QNBFS, the brokerage subsidiary of QNB, together constituted about 72% share trade turnover of the brokerages in the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) during the first nine months of this year.The QNB and Commercial Bank's brokerage subsidiaries as well as that of Wasata Financial Securities saw their share of trade turnover improve year-on-year during January-September 2023, according to the Qatar Stock Exchange data.The Group Securities’ share stood at 39.19% in January-July 2023 compared to 37.74% the previous year period. Its trading turnover tanked 26.52% year-on-year to QR75.46bn. The transactions through it however expanded 6.47% on an annualised basis to 2.47mn even as volumes fell 14.36% to 38.16mn shares at the end of September 30, 2023.The QNB subsidiary QNBFS' trade turnover amounted to QR62.75bn, which constituted 32.59% of the total traded value during January-September 2023 against 32.21% a year-ago period. The turnover shrank 28.4% year-on-year, even as volumes rose 3.15% to 12.45mn equities but transactions fell 9.78% to 2.12mn in the review period.The Commercial Bank Financial Services accounted for 13.14% of trade turnover compared to 12.75% during January-September 2023. The brokerage house's trade turnover plummeted 27.05% year-on-year to QR25.3bn as volumes were down 7.24% to 6.92mn stocks, whereas deals were flat at 0.71mn in the review period.The Commercial Bank Financial Services was the first bank brokerage in the country to launch margin trading product. The bourse recently amended the list of securities eligible for market making, liquidity provision, margin trading, and covered short‐selling activities; making more companies eligible.Wasata Financial Securities' share was 4.15% of trading turnover during January-September 2023 compared to 3.91% in the comparable period of 2022. Its trade turnover plunged 24.88% year-on-year to QR8bn as volumes shrank 8.18% to 2.92mn equities but deals soared 47.06% to 0.25mn at the end of September 2023.Qatar Securities accounted for 6.49% of trade turnover during the first nine months of 2023 compared to 7.2% the previous year period. The brokerage's trading turnover dipped 36.24% year-on-year to QR12.49bn as volumes fell 11.29% to 2.83mn shares and transactions by 10.26% to 0.35mn at the end of September 2023.Dlala Brokerage, a stock broking business arm of Dlala Holding, accounted for 3.4% of trade turnover (QR6.54bn), which tanked 43.33% year-on-year. The brokerage’s share was 4.24% the previous year period. The deals through it shrank 14.29 on a yearly basis to 0.18mn and volumes by 24.86% to 2.69mn stocks at the end of September 2023.Al-Ahli Brokerage, a subsidiary of Ahlibank Qatar, saw its trade turnover zoom 86.11% on an annualised basis to QR2.01bn, cornering a market share of 1.05% during the first nine months of 2023 compared to 1.95% a year ago period. The volumes handled by the banking subsidiary fell 53.7% to 0.5mn shares and deals through it by 45.45% to 0.06mn during the review period.

Reflecting the interest rate concerns in the US, the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) saw its index plummet 190 points in index and more than QR10bn in capitalisation this week..text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[85576]**The foreign institutions were seen net profit takers as the 20-stock Qatar Index plummeted 1.85% this week which saw Doha's non-energy private sector signal “strong and stable” expansion in September with solid increases in output and new orders as employment rose at the fastest rate since June 2022.The insurance, telecom, industrials and real estate counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure in the main market this week which saw QSE allow more companies eligible for margin trading, market making, liquidity provision and covered short selling.As much as 80% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse this week which saw Qatar's trade surplus rise 8.7% to QR21.36bn this August against the previous month's levels owing to faster growth in shipments to Asian markets.The Gulf individuals were seen increasingly into net selling in the main bourse this week which saw the country's producer price index jump 4.5% month-on-month in August on noticeable jump in the indices of hydrocarbons and certain manufactured items such as refined petroleum products, chemicals, cement and beverages.The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the other indices in the main market this week which saw Estithmar Holding sign a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan to study new investments in the healthcare sector and potential areas of co-operation medical tourism and healthcare services in the central Asian country.The domestic institutions’ substantially weakened net buying had its influence in the main bourse this week which saw a total of 0.04mn Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored exchange-traded fund QATR worth QR0.08mn trade across 12 deals.However, the Gulf institutions were increasingly net buyers in the main market this week which saw as many as 0.27mn Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR2.64mn change hands across 64 transactions.Market capitalisation eroded QR10.46bn or 1.73% to QR593.49bn on the back of large and midcap segments this week which saw the industrials and banks together constitute about 65% of the total trade volume in the main bourse.The Total Return Index shed 1.85%, the All Islamic Index by 2.02% and the All Share Index by 1.7% this week, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The insurance sector index tanked 3.93%, telecom (3.15%), industrials (2.38%), realty (1.79%), banks and financial services (1.47%), consumer goods and services (0.51%) and transport (0.13%) this week which saw no trading of treasury bills.Major losers in the main market included Al Khaleej Takaful, Dlala, Qatar Insurance, Qatari German Medical Devices, Gulf International Services, Commercial Bank, Doha Bank, Lesha Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Dukhan Bank, Medicare Group, Baladna, Industries Qatar, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Mazaya Qatar, Ezdan and Qatari Investors Group. In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value this week.Nevertheless, Qatar Oman Investment, Doha Insurance, Meeza, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Aamal Company, Ahlibank Qatar and Widam Food were among the gainers in the main market.The foreign funds were net sellers to the tune of QR90.99mn against net buyers of QR38.55mn the week ended September 28.The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking increased noticeably to QR5.24mn compared to QR2.2mn a week ago.The domestic institutions’ net buying weakened substantially to QR14.47mn against QR42.67mn the previous week.However, the Gulf funds’ net buying grew drastically to QR37.43mn compared to QR6.25mn the week ended September 28.The local retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR36.04mn against net sellers of QR61.41mn a week ago.The foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR6.99mn compared with net sellers of QR14.75mn the previous week.The Arab individual investors were net buyers to the extent of QR1.32mn against net sellers of QR9mn the week ended September 28.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure compared with net profit takers of QR0.11mn a week ago.The main market witnessed a 1% slump in trade volumes to 896mn shares, 13% in value to QR2.22bn and 12% in deals to 75,060 this week.In the venture market, trade volumes plunged 15% to 3.67mn equities, whereas value rose 6% to QR6.1mn and transactions by 13% to 477.

McNair International and Moroğlu Arseven, two leading names in international dispute resolution and business law, came together to co-host a breakfast seminar “Protecting Foreign Investments and Resolving Disputes in Changing Times: The Perspective from Turkiye.”The seminar brought together a distinguished panel of experts and professionals to discuss crucial aspects of foreign investments, dispute resolution, and the evolving landscape in Turkiye as levels of investment and economic co-operation between Qatar and Turkiye continue to rise. It was attended by corporate executives, legal practitioners, in-house lawyers and professionals interested in international business affairs.Anthony Wilson, a solicitor-advocate at McNair International, led the seminar as the host and moderator. Levent Sadik Küçükdaban, the Qatar country adviser at the Investment Office of the Presidency of Türkiye, provided a government perspective on foreign investments in Turkiye and Qatar. His presentation shed light on the support and assistance the Investment Office provides to both Qatari investors and Turkish businesses.Dr E Seyfi Moroğlu, Partner at Moroğlu Arseven, offered valuable insights into the Turkish perspective on protecting foreign investments. Fulya Kurar, Senior Associate at Moroğlu Arseven, shared her expertise on navigating legal complexities in Turkiye. Her practical advice on dispute resolution strategies and compliance with Turkish laws resonated with the audience.Anastasia Medvedskaya, an Associate at McNair International, explored the advantages and disadvantages of umbrella clauses as an important aspect of investor-State dispute resolution and Sergey Ryapisov, Senior Counsel at McNair International addressed the difficulties of enforcement against States through effective dispute resolution.“The exchange of ideas and experiences between industry experts and participants was truly enriching. We hope that this event has provided valuable insights into protecting foreign investments between Qatar and Turkiye, resolving disputes in today’s dynamic business environment and contributing to fruitful trade between Turkiye and Qatar," said Wilson.

London Wednesday welcomed the Qatar Financial Centre's (QFC) sustainable sukuk and bonds (SSB) framework, the first in the Gulf region; saying it will not only promote transparency but minimise greenwashing risks."The (London) city welcomes the QFC's development of a sustainable sukuk and bonds framework. It will promote transparency and minimise risks of greenwashing as the country pursues its National Vision 2030," Lord Mayor of City of London, Nicholas Lyons, told the 15th Middle East and North Africa (Mena) Regulatory Summit.The QFC's SSB framework is based on the latest International Capital Markets Association (ICMA)’s Green Bond Principles (GBP), Social Bond Principles (SBP), and Sustainable Bond Guidelines (SBG).The SSB framework integrates local requirements and features with ICMA’s globally accepted principles to create a harmonised financial market ecosystem locally, based on international standards.London's endorsement to QFC's SSB framework came as it fully supports the harmonisation of frameworks across international boundaries, according to him.Highlighting that Lord Mayors have visited Qatar 16 times since 2001; he said it shows the importance and depth of the relations between London and Doha and it is a two-way relationshipElaborating on greenwashing, Lyons said: "As the world steps up to tackle climate change, we have seen proliferation of investment products marketed as green. While many of these are bona-fide, some organisations are making exaggerated claims about their products and ESG (environment, social and governance) credentials, damaging the credibility of the wider market."Many organisations rely on ready-made ESG scoring, he added.Greenwashing is a false, misleading or untrue action or set of claims made by an organisation about the positive impact that a company, product or service has on the environment.Lyons said the financial centres of London and Doha have been successful owing to the strength of their regulations."Regulation is the cornerstone of financial stability, preventing excessive risk taking and ensuring financial institutions are able to weather economic downturns," he said.Regulation is also the guardian of market integrity, ensuring that the market operates with fairness, transparency and credibility; promoting confidence and in turn, stimulating long term growth, according to him.While the speed of change in some areas have been very impressive, Lyons said the world is moving even faster, new innovations like artificial intelligence, big data analytics, blockchain and distributed ledger technology prove new challenges.With the advent of new technologies, money laundering has increasingly become a complex threat to individual businesses and wider economy, he said.Highlighting that anti-money laundering compliance possesses a high cost to business, he said it is estimated that anti-money laundering costs to the world between 2% and 5% of its GDP (gross domestic product) annually."Global hubs like London and Doha should innovate to address these fast evolving issues in the anti-money laundering beneficial space," he said.

Qatar's producers' price index (PPI), which captures the price pressure felt by the producers of goods and services, rose month-on-month but was seen drifting southwards on an annualised basis in August, according to official estimates.The country's PPI jumped 4.5% on a monthly basis owing to a noticeable increase in the indices of hydrocarbons and certain manufactured items such as refined petroleum products, chemicals, cement and beverages, according to figures released by the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA).The PPI – which measures inflation from the perspective of costs to industry or producers of products as it measures price changes before they reach consumers – however saw a 32.23% plunge on an annualised basis in August 2023 on hydrocarbons, chemicals and basic metals.The PSA had released a new PPI series in late 2015. With a base of 2018, it draws on an updated sampling frame and new weights. The previous sampling frame dates from 2006, when the Qatari economy was much smaller than today and the range of products made domestically much narrower.The mining PPI, which carries the maximum weight of 82.46%, reported a 4.59% surge month-on-month in August 2023 owing to a 4.6% increase in the index of extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas.The mining sector PPI had seen a 34.73% plunge year-on-year in August 2023 as the index of crude petroleum and natural gas was seen dropping 34.77%, even as that of other mining and quarrying was up 0.02%.The manufacturing sector PPI, which has a weight of 15.85% in the basket, soared 4.28% on a monthly basis due to a 13.82% increase in the index of refined petroleum products, 4.46% in chemicals and chemical products, 2.64% in beverages, 2.63% in cement and other non-metallic mineral products and 0.03% in food products. However, there was a 7.18% contraction in the index of basic metals in August 2023.The manufacturing PPI, however, plummeted 18.32% on a yearly basis in August 2023 on account of a 25.37% contraction in the index of chemicals and chemical products, 21.41% in basic metals, 6.07% in refined petroleum products and 5.36% in rubber and plastics products.However, there was a 3.36% increase in the index of food products, 3.29% in beverages, 2.76% in cement and other non-metallic mineral products and 0.16% in printing and reproduction of recorded media in the review period.The index of electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply reported 3.26% decline on a monthly basis but shot up 8.22% year-on-year in August 2023.The index of water supply soared 9.59% and 20.24% month-on-month and year-on-year respectively in the review period.

Qatar Wednesday stressed the importance of developing regulatory frameworks that can address emerging risks, while maintaining the flow of trade and capital.This was articulated by Sheikh Ahmed bin Eid al-Thani, Head of Qatar Financial Information Unit (QFIU), at the 15th Middle East and North Africa Regulatory Summit, organised by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) and in the presence of HE Sheikh Bandar bin Mohamed al-Thani, the Qatar Central Bank Governor.Sheikh Ahmed emphasised the goal of creating a regulatory environment grounded in knowledge, development, and transparency, fostering dialogue and evaluation to support government efforts in combating financial crimes and driving economic growth.He also commended the role of financial investigation units within international organisations like MENAFATF (Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force) and Egmont Group, noting their contributions to shaping unified policies and finding solutions to common challenges.‏Nadim Najjar, managing director of Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa at LSEG, echoed the importance of adapting to the evolving financial landscape as he discussed the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in combating money laundering and emphasized the need for vigilant regulatory oversight in light of recent challenges, including the crypto token price crash and the rise of stable coins.Money laundering and associated offences affect not only the financial landscape of the region but also the very fabric of the society, he said, adding the challenges are getting increasingly sophisticated approach from regulators and corporations."In this evolving landscape, when digitalisation is accelerating, AI has become an essential tool to ensure that our financial system remain robust. The challenges we face are beyond the digital realm," he said.‏Najjar emphasised the delicate balance between protecting consumers and fostering innovation, particularly in the realm of fintech. He also highlighted the challenges faced by corporations in complying with anti-money laundering obligations and data protection laws.‏Xolisile Khanyile, former chair of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, shared insights into the critical importance of compliance.She highlighted that compliance is essential to prevent financial systems from being infiltrated by criminality, protect the integrity of institutions, and support intelligence-driven investigations, prosecutions, and asset recovery.The implementation of risk-based approaches is still in its early stages in many countries, she said, highlighting the need for better implementation of preventative measures by the private sector.She stressed that asset recovery remains a challenge, with countries recovering only a fraction of actual proceeds.Finding unintended consequences of overregulation, including the shrinking of civic space under the guise of compliance; she advocated for more holistic criminal justice frameworks and encouraged public-private partnerships (PPPs) to foster collaboration and information sharing.