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An across the board buying led the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) gain as much as 119 points and index surpass 11,100 points, the highest level in more than 36 months.A higher than average demand, particularly in the banking counter, led the 20-stock Qatar Index surge 1.08% to 11,141.04 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,992 points.The Arab retail investors turned net buyers in the main market, whose year-to-date gains improved further to 5.39%.The Gulf individuals were seen bullish in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR4bn or 0.61% to QR657.37bn mainly on midcap segments.The foreign funds continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the main market, which saw as many as 1,250 exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.01mn trade across two deals.The Arab institutions’ weakened net profit booking had its marginal influence on the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the main barometer of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Gulf institutions continued to be net buyers but with lesser vigour in the main bourse, which saw a total of 0.11mn sovereign bonds valued at QR1.06bn change hands across three deals.The Total Return Index gained 1.08%, the All Islamic Index by 0.61% and the All Share Index by 0.85% in the main market.The banks and financial services sector index rose 1.57%, transport (0.22%), telecom (0.1%) and industrials (0.05%); while insurance declined 0.43%, consumer goods and services (0.24%) and real estate (0.1%).Major gainers in the main market included Qatar Islamic Bank, Qatar Oman Investment, Mazaya Qatar, Commercial Bank, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Industries Qatar and Nakilat. In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares appreciate in value.Nevertheless, about 54% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market with major losers being Mannai Corporation, Qatar German Medical Devices, Widam Food, Inma Holding, Qatar National Cement, Lesha Bank, Milaha, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding and Qatar Insurance.The Arab individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR11.36mn compared with net sellers of QR10.85mn the previous day.The Gulf retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR2.62mn against net sellers of QR2.43mn on July 21.The Qatari individuals’ net profit booking declined substantially to QR2.98mn compared to QR32.27mn on Monday.The foreign retail investors’ net selling weakened noticeably to QR0.35mn against QR2.71mn the previous day.The Arab institutions’ net profit booking decreased marginally to QR0.03mn compared to QR0.43mn on July 21.However, the domestic funds turned net sellers to the tune of QR19.93mn against net buyers of QR1.35mn on Monday.The foreign institutions’ net buying decreased significantly to QR8.66mn compared to QR36.15mn the previous day.The Gulf institutions’ net buying shrank noticeably to QR0.66mn against QR11.17mn on July 21.The main market saw 11% contraction in trade volumes to 177.76mn shares, 11% in value to QR448mn and 12% in deals to 19,012.In the venture market, a total of 6,917 equities valued at QR0.02mn changed hands across five transactions.

Al Mahhar Holding has completed the acquisition of the remaining 49% stake in European Equipment Company (EEC) for consideration of QR4mn.EEC specialises in the sale and rental of construction machinery and equipment and is the exclusive distributor of the Wirtgen Group’s road construction products in Qatar. Prior to this transaction, QFAB owned a 51% stake in EEC.This acquisition forms part of Al Mahhar’s strategic initiatives to enhance operational and financial control across its subsidiaries, streamline group governance, and reinforce its presence in the construction equipment sector."The full acquisition of EEC reflects our continued of portfolio our strengthening to commitment operating subsidiaries and enhancing alignment across the group," said Fahad Alfardan, chairman of Al Mahhar Holding.With full ownership, he said, it is better positioned to drive performance, support governance term value in a critical efficiency, and create longsector for Qatar’s infrastructure development.Al Mahhar is committed to disclosing any material information in accordance with the requirements of the Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA) and the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), in line with principles of and regulatory compliance.

Capital Intelligence, an international credit rating agency, has affirmed Qatar’s long-term foreign currency rating (LTFCR) and LT local currency rating (LTLCR) at ‘AA’.At the same time, CI has also affirmed the sovereign’s short-term (ST) FCR and ST LCR at ‘A1+’. The outlook on the ratings remains “stable”.The ratings reflect Qatar’s very strong external balances and budgetary performance, supported by still favourable liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices.The ratings also factored in the country’s capacity to absorb external or financial shocks given the large portfolio of foreign assets held by the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and consequent comfortable net external creditor position when including these assets.The ratings continue to be supported by substantial hydrocarbon reserves, expanding LNG production and export capacity, and very high GDP (gross domestic product) per capita, as well as high and increasing official foreign reserves.Highlighting that external finances are “very strong”, it said the current account (CA) recorded a very large surplus of 17.2% of GDP in 2024 (from 17.1% in 2023) and is projected to see lower surpluses averaging 11.1% of GDP in 2025-27.This reflects its expectations of average oil prices $61.7 per barrel over the forecast period, as well as an increase in imports.Gross external debt is expected to have decreased further to 118.1% of GDP or174.7% of current account receipts (CARs) compared to 123.1% of GDP (175.3% of CARs) in 2023.Official foreign exchange reserves increased to $70.9bn in May 2025, from $70bn in December 2024, with the latter expected to cover short-term external debt on a remaining maturity basis by around 2.7 times in 2025.Qatar’s buffers remain large, and are considered a major supporting factor for the ratings, it said, adding very large CA surpluses have contributed to a very strong net external creditor position, when included the external assets of the QIA, whose total assets are estimated at around 230% of GDP in 2024.Finding that the public finances remain strong, CI said the government’s budget recorded a surplus of 0.7% of GDP in 2024, against a surplus of 5.6% in 2023.“Moving forward, the budget surplus is expected to average 1.1% of GDP in 2025-27, supported by an expected increase in LNG production capacity from the North Field which would offset the projected decline in hydrocarbon prices,” it said.While the reliance on hydrocarbon revenues remains a rating constraint, the government has ample leeway to respond to severe fluctuations in hydrocarbon prices given the size of fiscal buffers and the degree of expenditure flexibility.Central government deposits stood at 15.3% of GDP in May 2025, while total government and government institution deposits in the domestic banking system were around 44.7% of GDP.

Amidst rate uncertainty in the US over higher inflation expectation due to the tariff policies, the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Wednesday saw its key index close in the negative, even as capitalisation add about QR3bn with gainers outnumbering losers.The Gulf individuals were seen net profit takers as the 20-stock Qatar Index was down six points or 0.06% to 10,811.41 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,834 points.The transport and telecom counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure in the main market, whose year-to-date gains truncated to 2.27%.However, about 60% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR2.83bn or 0.44% to QR643.41bn mainly on small and microcap segments.The Gulf institutions turned bearish in the main market, which saw as many as 418 exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank) valued at QR952 trade across one deal.The Arab funds were seen net sellers, albeit at lower levels, in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the rise.The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the main barometer of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The local retail investors continued to be net profit takers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index was down 0.06% and the All Islamic Index by 0.01%, while the All Share Index rose 0.07% in the main market.The transport sector index shrank 0.68%, telecom (0.;11%), banks and financial services (0.04%) and insurance (0.04%); while real estate gained 1.42%, consumer goods and services (0.84%) and industrials (0.27%).Major shakers in the main market included Nakilat, QIIB, Doha Bank, Doha Insurance, Widam, Food, Lesha Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Meeza and Ooredoo.Nevertheless, Mannai Corporation, Ezdan, Medicare Group, Beema, Mekdam Holding, QNB, Qatar Oman Investment, Qatar German Medical Devices, Salam International Investment, Industries Qatar, Gulf International Services, Mazaya Qatar, Barwa and Vodafone Qatar were among the movers in the main bourse. In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares appreciate in value.The Arab individual investors were net sellers to the tune of QR12.65mn compared with net buyers of QR2.25mn on Tuesday.The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the extent of QR6.97mn against net buyers of QR2.04mn the previous day.The Arab funds were net profit takers to the tune of QR0.27mn compared with no major net exposure on July 15.The foreign institutions’ net buying weakened marginally to QR31.27mn against QR34.47mn on Tuesday.However, the domestic funds turned net buyers to the extent of QR8.05mn compared with net sellers of QR6.58mn the previous day.The foreign individuals were net buyers to the tune of QR2.55mn against net sellers of QR0.23mn on July 15.The local retail investors’ net profit booking declined noticeably to QR20.31mn compared to QR29.62mn on Tuesday.The Gulf individuals’ net selling shrank perceptibly to QR1.68mn against QR2.35mn the previous day.The main market saw 57% jump in trade volumes to 204.16mn shares, 43% in value to QR563.57mn and 53% in deals to 28,432.In the venture market, a total of 7,249 equities valued at QR0.02mn changed hands across four transactions.

Market Eye Positive signals emanating from the US in inflation and tariff had their influence on the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), which on Tuesday gained more than 48 points and capitalisation added about QR4bn. The foreign funds turned net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.45% to 10,817.85 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,763 points. The banks, industrials and real estate counters witnessed higher than average demand in the main market, whose year-to-date gains improved to 2.33%. About 52% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR3.94bn or 0.62% to QR640.58bn mainly on mid and small cap segments. The Arab individual investors turned bullish in the main market, which saw as many as 4,620 exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.05mn trade across three deals. The domestic funds’ weakened net selling had its influence on the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the rise. The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills. However, the local retail investors turned net profit takers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds. The Total Return Index rose 0.45%, the All Islamic Index by 0.23% and the All Share Index by 0.55% in the main market. The banks and financial services index gained 0.85%, industrials (0.57%), realty (0.53%) and consumer goods and services (0.17%); while telecom declined 0.73%, insurance (0.16%) and transport (0.04%). Major gainers in the main market included Mannai Corporation, QNB, Lesha Bank, Industries Qatar, Meeza, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Qamco, Qatar Electricity and Water, Barwa and Ezdan. In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares appreciate in value. Nevertheless, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Ooredoo, Doha Bank, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Baladna, Al Mahhar Holding, Milaha and Vodafone Qatar were among the losers in the main market. The foreign institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR34.47mn compared with net sellers of QR12.97mn the previous day. The Arab individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR2.25mn against net profit takers of QR0.44mn on Monday. The domestic institutions’ net selling weakened noticeably to QrR6.58mn compared to QR12.5mn on July 14. The foreign individual investors’ net profit booking eased marginally to QR0.23mn against QR0.39mn the previous day. However, the Qatari individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR29.62mn compared with net buyers of QR9.24mn on Monday. The Gulf retail investors’ net profit booking expanded perceptibly to QR2.35mn against QR0.02mn on July 14. The Gulf institutions’ net buying weakened substantially to QR2.04mn compared to QR17.08mn the previous day. The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the fifth consecutive session. The main market saw 29% jump in trade volumes to 130.05mn shares and 14% in value to QR395.06mn but on 10% decline in deals to 18,627. In the venture market, a total of 8,792 equities valued at QR0.02mn changed hands across five transactions.

A multi-pronged strategy - which includes strong industry-academia collaboration, targeted upskilling and reskilling and enhanced workforce inclusion - has been recommended by the Qatar Financial Centre and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainable growth of Qatar’s financial sector.Stressing that bridging the gap between education and labour market needs requires more than ad hoc co-ordination; the joint report of the QFC and the ILO suggested that relevant stakeholders must institutionalise co-operation mechanisms to ensure sustained alignment of supply and demand.In this regard, it said there is a need to establish structured engagement platforms involving QFC, financial institutions such as the Qatar Investment Authority, local banks, universities, and training providers to co-design curricula that reflect industry needs, especially in fintech, risk management, and data analytics.Highlighting the need for leveraging the newly established Financial Sectoral Council as the formal co-ordination body for this dialogue; the report said with representation from the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Qatar’s universities, Qatar Career Development Center, and other key stakeholders, the council can lead on defining skills priorities, setting qualification frameworks, and overseeing workforce planning.It suggested expanding joint academic-industry programmes, including dual education pathways, executive education courses, and industry-endorsed certification programmes.There is a need to ensure frequent curriculum reviews are aligned with evolving global trends, regulatory shifts, and digital transformation in the financial sector as well as to promote applied research collaborations among academia, industry, government, and global organisations to support evidence-based policymaking and innovation.Elaborating on the targeted upskilling and reskilling programmes; the joint report suggested addressing skills deficiencies and preparing the workforce for technological advancements, targeted training initiatives should be prioritised on high-impact areas.It recommended incentivising firms to adopt structured in-house training programmes, particularly for mid-career professionals, possibly through cost-sharing schemes; and designing modular training programmes tailored to support various stages of professional development, entry-level, midcareer, and senior leadership, with a focus on digital skills, regulatory compliance, and financial innovation.It also suggested improving Arabic proficiency among technical professionals through bilingual training to enhance communication and inclusion; and integrating mentorship and leadership development frameworks, especially for women and Qatari talent, to enhance retention and progression to senior roles.The QFC-ILO report suggested partnering with global institutions to deliver specialised programmes on emerging technologies and areas such as AI (artificial intelligence), business intelligence tools, blockchain, cybersecurity, and ESG (environmental, social and governance) finance.On enhancing workforce inclusion; it suggested fostering an inclusive workforce, promoting a diverse participation within the workforce is essential for long-term sustainability and competitiveness.There is a need to design targeted recruitment campaigns for underrepresented groups, particularly women, highlighting career pathways, flexible working options, and purpose-driven roles in finance; expand access to scholarships, internships, and entry level programmes for women and young Qataris, building early exposure to financial sector careers; and establish inclusive leadership and mentoring programmes that reflect gender-sensitive approaches and support retention.There is also a need to create sector-specific incentives, such as in-work benefits, career development programmes, and flexible work models, to attract and retain national talent in high demand areas; and develop internal mobility frameworks within QFC institutions to support progression and reduce turnover.

Market EyeThe continuing US tariff tension played spoilsport in the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), which saw an across the board selling, leading to 61 points decline in the key index and more than QR3bn erosion in capitalisation.The foreign funds were seen net profit takers as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.56% to 10,769.65 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,822 points.The transport and telecom counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure in the main market, whose year-to-date gains truncated to 1.88%.More than 60% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR3.28bn or 0.51% to QR636.64bn mainly on small and microcap segments. The domestic institutions turned bearish in the main market, which saw mere 598 exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank) valued at QR1,358 trade across one deal.The foreign individuals were seen net sellers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, whose trade turnover grew amidst lower volumes.The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.However, the local retail investors turned net buyers in the main bourse, which saw as many as 0.1mn sovereign bonds valued at QR1.05bn change hands across two transactions.The Total Return Index shed 0.56% and the All Islamic Index by 0.35% and the All Share Index by 0.52% in the main market.The transport sector index shrank 0.81%, telecom (0.68%), banks and financial services (0.56%), insurance (0.41%), industrials (0.39%), consumer goods and services (0.3%) and real estate (0.29%). Major losers in the main market included Meeza, Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution, Mannai Corporation, Qatar Oman Investment, Doha Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Industries Qatar, Ezdan, Barwa, Ooredoo, Vodafone Qatar, Nakilat and Gulf Warehousing. In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, Ahlibank Qatar, Estithmar Holding, Al Mahhar Holding, Al Meera and Widam Food were among the gainers in the main market.The foreign institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR12.97mn compared with net buyers of QR27.43mn the previous day.The domestic funds were net profit takers to the extent of QR12.5mn against net buyers of QR1.74mn on July 11.The foreign individual investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.39mn compared with net buyers of QR1.48mn on Sunday.However, the Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR17.08mn against net sellers of QR2.06mn the previous day.The Qatari individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR9.24mn compared with net sellers of QR23.72mn on July 11.The Arab individuals’ net profit booking weakened substantially to QR0.44mn against QR3.74mn on Sunday.The Gulf retail investors’ net selling decreased noticeably to QR0.02mn compared to QR1.12mn the previous day.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the fourth consecutive session. The main market saw 3% shrinkage in trade volumes to 101mn shares but on 24% jump in value to QR345.69mn and 57% in deals to 20,634.In the venture market, a total of 0.23mn equities valued at QR0.63mn changed hands across 27 transactions.

Market EyeThe Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Sunday opened the week on a cautious note with investors awaiting clarity on the US tariff policy. The domestic funds were seen net buyers, albeit at lower levels, as the 20-stock Qatar index settled marginally higher by 0.03% to 10,830.72 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,794 points. The telecom, real estate, consumer goods and insurance counters witnessed higher than average demand in the main market, whose year-to-date gains widened to 2.46%.More than 45% of the traded constituents were however in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation was down QR0.21bn or 0.03% to QR639.92bn mainly on microcap segments. The foreign retail investors were increasingly net buyers in the main market, which saw 8,733 exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.02mn trade across eight deals.The Gulf institutions’ weakened net profit booking had its influence on the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline. The Islamic index was seen outperforming the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The foreign funds continued to be net buyers but with lesser vigour in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index was up 0.03% and the All Islamic Index by 0.21%, while the All Share Index was down 0.03% in the main market.The telecom sector index increased 0.53%, realty (0.23%), consumer goods and services (0.22%) and insurance (0.21%); while banks and financial services declined 0.12%, transport (0.1%) and industrials (0.04%).Major gainers in the main market included Meeza, Estithmar Holding, Vodafone Qatar, Al Khaleej Takaful, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance and Qamco. In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares appreciated in value.Nevertheless, Qatar German Medical Devices, Ahlibank Qatar, Gulf International Services, Dlala and Doha Insurance were among the shakers in the main market. The domestic institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.74mn compared with net sellers of QR4.12mn on July 10. The foreign individual investors’ net buying increased marginally to QR1.48mn against QR1.41mn last Thursday. The Gulf institutions’ net selling declined noticeably to QR2.06mn compared to QR12.74mn the previous trading day.

Commercial Bank, a leader in innovative digital banking solutions, has successfully hosted an exclusive 'Trade Finance and Cross-Border Transactions' workshop at Commercial Bank Plaza.The event brought together enterprise clients for an immersive session designed to optimise international trade, covering corporate internet banking for seamless international transfers, and strategic credit financing solutions.The workshop provided critical insights into navigating sanctioned markets while maintaining compliance, equipping attendees with practical tools to manage cross-border transactions efficiently.Participants engaged in networking discussions, fostering collaboration among diverse industry counterparts, and reinforcing Commercial Bank’s role as a catalyst for trade growth."In today’s interconnected global economy, businesses need strategic partners who make cross-border trade seamless. This workshop provided practical insights, from advanced digital transaction solutions to effective risk mitigation strategies, empowering our clients to navigate international markets with confidence and clarity," said Fahad Badar, EGM, Chief Wholesale and International Banking Officer.By combining technical expertise with real-world applications, Commercial Bank continues to bridge the gap between regional businesses and international opportunities, solidifying its position as Qatar's premier trade finance partner.

The positive signals on the US tariff in the initial days of the week had its overarching influence on the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), which closed on a positive note despite remaining flat for the last two sessions.Notwithstanding the uncertainties around the US tariff in the latter part of the week, the 20-stock Qatar Index gained 0.63% this week which saw Gulf International Services (GIS) intend to list its associate Amwaj on the QSE as the catering arm explores opportunities for collaboration in new global markets.The industrials and insurance counters witnessed higher than average demand this week which saw QNB disclose net profit of QR8.4bn in the first six months of this year.More than 64% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main market this week which saw Mekdam Holding Group seek patent for its advanced centralised alarm monitoring system in the US.The foreign institutions’ increased net buying had its influence on the main bourse this week which saw Aamal Company announce its intent to initiate negotiations with a related party, Al Jazi Real Estate, for the potential acquisition of a mixed-use tower (residential and commercial) located in Dafna area.The Gulf individuals were seen bullish, albeit at lower levels, in the main market this week which saw Hamad Port, Qatar’s main gateway to world trade, launch new shipping service offering direct weekly sailing to major ports in East Asia and the West Coast of North America.The local retail investors’ weakened net selling had its effect on the main bourse this week which saw Dukhan Bank's first half net profit at QR811.29mn.The Arab retail investors continued to be net buyers but with lesser vigour in the main market this week which saw the Qatar Central Bank's international reserves and foreign currency liquidity grow 3.5% year-on-year to QR258.9bn in June 2025.The Gulf funds were seen net profit takers in the main bourse this week which saw a total of 0.13mn AlRayan Bank-sponsored exchange traded fund QATR worth QR0.3mn trade across 41 deals.The domestic institutions were also increasingly bearish in the main market this week which saw 0.01mn Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR0.04mn change hands across four transactions.The Arab funds turned net sellers in the main bourse this week which saw no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices of the main market this week, which saw market capitalisation add QR4.4bn or 0.69% to QR640.13bn on the back of mid and small cap segments.Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in both the main and junior bourses this week which saw the consumer goods, banking and industrials sectors together constitute about 73% of the total trade volumes.The Total Return Index rose 0.63%, the All Islamic Index by 0.59% and the All Share Index by 0.59% this week.The industrials sector index shot up 1.5%, insurance (0.82%), banks and financial services (0.61%), consumer goods and services (0.58%) and real estate (0.26%); while transport and telecom declined 0.96% and 0.41% respectively this week.Major gainers in the main market included Mannai Corporation, Lesha Bank, Medicare Group, Ezdan, Qatar Electricity and Water, Qatar Islamic Bank, QIIB, Salam International Investment, Industries Qatar, Aamal Company, GIS and Qamco this week.Nevertheless, Dlala, Vodafone Qatar, Meeza, Milaha, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance and Mekdam Holding were among the shakers in the main bourse. In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value this week.The foreign institutions’ net buying increased markedly to QR136.08mn compared to QR104.05mn the previous week.The Gulf individual investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.11mn against net profit takers of QR7.02mn the week ended July 3.The local retail investors’ net selling declined significantly to QR77.58mn compared to QR111.41mn a week ago.However, the Gulf institutions were net sellers to the extent of QR36.67mn against net buyers of QR9.27mn the previous week.The domestic institutions’ net profit booking strengthened significantly to QR32.83mn compared to QR11.38mn the week ended July 3.The foreign individual investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR2.46mn against net buyers of QR0.32mn a week ago.The Arab institutions were net sellers to the extent of QR0.2mn compared with net buyers of QR0.01mn the previous week.The Arab individual investors’ net buying shrank perceptibly to QR13.55mn against QR16.18mn the week ended July 3.The main market saw an 18% fall in trade volumes to 639.66mn shares, 7% in value to QR1.82bn and 3% in deals to 93,943 this week.In the venture market, trade volumes plummeted 72% to 0.35mn equities, value by 73% to QR0.97mn and transactions by 65% to 103.

The Qatar Stock Exchange closed flat Wednesday despite buying interests in four of the seven sectors.The domestic funds were increasingly net sellers as the 20-stock Qatar Index was down mere 0.04% to 10,829.86 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,858 points.The Arab individuals were seen net buyers in the main market, whose year-to-date gains improved further to 2.49%.More than 48% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation was flat at QR639.44bn.The local retail investors continued to be net sellers but with lesser intensity in the main market, which saw 0.01mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank) valued at QR0.03mn trade across one deal.The foreign institutions’ weakened net buying had its influence on the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Arab individuals’ lower net buying had its effect on the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index was down 0.04%, the All Share Index by 0.03% and the All Islamic Index by 0.01% in the main market.The transport sector index shed 0.82%, telecom (0.28%) and industrials (0.21%); while insurance gained 0.53%, real estate (0.14%), banks and financial services (0.13%) and consumer goods and services (0.07%).Major losers in the main market included Mannai Corporation, Milaha, Meeza, Vodafone Qatar, Gulf International Services, Qatar National Cement, Mazaya Qatar, Gulf Warehousing and Nakilat.Nevertheless, Ezdan, Beema, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Dukhan Bank and Qatar Oman Investment were among the gainers in the main bourse.In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares appreciate in value.The domestic institutions’ net selling increased significantly to QR12.62mn compared to QR0.06mn on July 8.The foreign retail investors were net sellers to the tune of QR1.61mn against net buyers of QR0.4mn on Tuesday.The foreign institutions’ net buying decreased markedly to QR18.9mn compared to QR29.19mn the previous day.The Arab individual investors’ net buying shrank perceptibly to QR1.41mn against QR4.55mn on July 8.However, the Gulf retail investors turned net buyers to the extent of QR0.83mn compared with net sellers of QR1.98mn on Tuesday.The Qatari individuals’ net selling weakened considerably to QR1.29mn against QR25.29mn the previous day.The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking eased marginally to QR5.62mn compared to QR6.75mn on July 8.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net sellers to the tune of QR0.07mn on Tuesday.The main market saw a 24% contraction in trade volumes to 110.78mn shares, 26% in value to QR320.34mn and 43% in deals to 14,943.In the venture market, a total of 0.03mn equities valued at QR0.08mn changed hands across 15 transactions.

Market Eye The Qatar Stock Exchange on Tuesday gained about 33 points despite a mixed response in the regional bourses due to uncertainties around the US tariff policies. Buying interests, especially in the industrials and consumer goods sectors, led the 20-stock Qatar Index to gain 0.3% to 10,833.87 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,850 points. The Arab individuals were seen net buyers in the main market, whose year-to-date gains improved further to 2.49%. More than 47% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR1.06bn or 0.17% to QR639.47bn mainly on account of microcap segments. The foreign retail investors turned bullish, albeit at lower levels, in the main market, which saw 0.06mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank) valued at QR0.13mn trade across six deals. The local individuals’ weakened net selling had its influence on the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the rise. The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the main barometer of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The Gulf institutions’ lower net profit booking had its effect on the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds. The Total Return Index rose 0.3%, the All Share Index by 0.21% and the All Islamic Index by 0.23% in the main market. The industrials sector index gained 0.69%, consumer goods and services (0.32%), banks and financial services (0.28%) and transport (0.12%); while telecom declined 1.39% and insurance 0.86%. The real estate index was rather unchanged. Major movers in the main market include Mannai Corporation, Qamco, Qatar Islamic Bank, Gulf International Services, Medicare Group, Industries Qatar and Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding. In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares appreciate in value. Nevertheless, Ooredoo, Qatar Insurance, Meeza, Inma Holding and Zad Holding were among the shakers in the main market. The Arab individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR4.55mn compared with net sellers of QR3.42mn on Monday. The foreign retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR0.4mn against net profit takers of QR2.22mn the previous day. The Qatari individual investors’ net selling weakened noticeably to QR25.29mn compared to QR31.19mn on July 7. The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking declined markedly to QR6.75mn against QR14.73mn on Monday. The Arab institutions’ net selling eased marginally to QR0.07mn compared to QR0.12mn the previous day. However, the domestic institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.06mn against net buyers of QR11.3mn on July 7. The Gulf individual investors were net sellers to the extent of QR1.98mn compared with net buyers of QR1.26mn on Monday. The foreign institutions’ net buying decreased significantly to QR29.19mn against QR39.12mn the previous day. The main market saw a 10% jump in trade volumes to 144.95mn shares, 11% in value to QR430.75mn and 22% in deals to 26,226. In the venture market, a total of 0.16mn equities valued at QR0.44mn changed hands across 37 transactions.

Market Eye Positive signals from the US on tariff front had its ripple effect on the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), which on Monday crossed the 10,800 levels, on the back of strong buying interests of foreign institutions. The telecom, insurance and industrials counters witnessed higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.46% to 10,801.67 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,754 points. The domestic institutions were seen net buyers in the main market, whose year-to-date gains improved to 2.18%. More than 60% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR2.53bn or 0.4% to QR638.41bn mainly on account of small cap segments. The Gulf retail investors turned bullish in the main market, which saw 0.05mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.13mn trade across 12 deals. However, the Gulf individuals were profit takers in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the rise. The Islamic index was seen gaining faster than the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The Gulf institutions turned bearish in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds. The Total Return Index rose 0.46%, the All Share Index by 0.33% and the All Islamic Index by 0.48% in the main market. The telecom sector index shot up 1%, insurance (0.62%), industrials (0.61%), banks and financial services (0.38%), real estate (0.21%) and consumer goods and services (0.1%); while transport declined 0.36%. Major movers in the main market include Mannai Corporation, Qatar Electricity and Water, QIIB, Ooredoo, Gulf International Services, Commercial Bank, Industries Qatar and QLM. Nevertheless, Zad Holding, Meeza, Nakilat, Medicare Group, Qatar Oman Investment and Salam International Investment were among the shakers in the main bourse. In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value. The foreign institutions’ net buying increased significantly to QR39.12mn compared to QR12.34mn the previous day. The domestic institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR11.3mn against net sellers of QR27.333mn on July 6. The Gulf individual investors were net buyers to the extent of QR1.26mn compared with net sellers of QR0.18mn on Sunday. However, the Qatari individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR31.19mn against net buyers of QR7.09mn the previous day. The Gulf institutions were net profit takers to the extent of QR14.73mn compared with net buyers of QR3.17mn on July 6. The Arab individual investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR3.42mn against net buyers of QR5.44mn on Sunday. The foreign retail investors’ net selling expanded perceptibly to QR2.22mn compared to QR0.44mn the previous day. The Arab institutions’ net profit booking strengthened marginally to QR0.12mn against QR0.02mn on July 6. The main market saw 30% jump in trade volumes to 132.27n shares and 46% in value to QR386.6mn on more than doubled deals to 21,579. In the venture market, a total of 0.07mn equities valued at QR0.2mn changed hands across 21 transactions.

Qatar appears to have gained traction in the international trade as transshipment through its Hamad Port constituted about 50% of the total container volumes during the first half (H1) of this year, according to the official data.The country’s maritime sector witnessed a robust double-digit year-on-year growth in transshipment in H1-2025, with more international shipping liners calling on the ports, indicating the growing prominence of the country in the global trade.The country's ports' performance recorded an 11% increase in transshipment volumes over the past six months compared to the same period last year. This include approximately 368,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) transshipped through Hamad Port, which has rapidly evolved into a critical hub for international shipping, catering to the needs of all major global shipping lines.Total containers handled by three ports - Hamad, Doha and Al Ruwais - stood at 742,789 TEUs; implying transshipment volumes accounted for about 50% of total container traffic.Hamad Port, Qatar’s main gateway to world trade; plays a vital role in maritime logistics and its robust capabilities, making it a preferred hub for international shipping companies.The container terminals have been designed to address the increasing trade volume, enhance ease of doing business and support economic diversification, which is one of the most vital goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030.The growth in global trade has involved greater quantities of containers in circulation, prompting shipping companies to rely more on transshipment hubs to connect different regions of the world. Transshipment requires significant yard space as containers are stored for a brief period, awaiting the connecting ship(s).The growth in transshipment was accompanied by a rise in the number of vessels, building materials and RORO (vehicles) through the three ports in January-June this year.The number of ships calling on Qatar's three ports registered 12.4% year-on-year growth to 1,487 in H1-2025. The maximum number of vessels docked was in May 2025.The building materials traffic through the three ports stood at 325,978 tonnes in January-June 2025, which shot up 42.09% on an annualised basis. The ports had witnessed maximum handling of building materials in May 2025.The three ports handled as many as 56,817 RORO in the first six months of this year, which registered a 1.56% growth year-on-year. The beginning of 2024 saw the maximum RORO handled so far through the three ports.Qatar's automobile sector has been witnessing stronger sales, especially in heavy equipment, private motorcycles and private vehicles, according to the latest data of the National Planning Council.RORO ships – which are designed to transport vehicles like cars, trucks, and motorcycles - feature ramps that allow vehicles to drive directly on and off, eliminating the need for cranes and making it an efficient way to move cargo across the seas.The general and bulk cargo handled through the three ports however fell 7.21% on an annualised basis to 810,220 freight tonnes in January-June 2025.

Market EyeThe Iran-Israel truce, the US Federal Reserve rate cut expectations and Washington’s tariff deal with Vietnam had their positive influence on the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) with its key index gaining as much as 75 points and capitalisation adding in excess of QR4bn this week.The insurance, consumer goods, banking and industrials counters witnessed higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.7% this week which saw QSE welcome the proposed $200mn Fiera Qatar Equity Fund, a joint initiative of Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Fiera Capital.More than 49% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main market this week which saw Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding Company restructure the ownership of Qatar Salt Products Company (QSalt), after the Turkish partner Atlas Yatirim Planlama exit the joint venture.The domestic institutions’ substantially weakened net selling had its influence on the main bourse this week which saw Meeza sign a strategic long-term QR350mn agreement with a global hyper-scaler, marking a major milestone in its growth trajectory and further solidifying Qatar’s position in the global digital economy.The Gulf individuals’ lower net profit booking also had its effect on the main market this week which saw Qatar's maritime sector’s strong year-on-year surge in cargoes and building materials in June 2025.The foreign retail investors were seen net buyers, albeit at lower levels, this week which saw Qatar Insurance Company's $500mn Tier II bond gets oversubscribed by six times.The foreign institutions continued to be net buyers but with lesser vigour in the main market this week which saw Lesha Bank acquire one Airbus A320neo aircraft from Germany's EMP Aviation Trading for approximately QR150mn.The local retail investors were increasingly net sellers in the main bourse this week which saw a total of 0.16mn AlRayan Bank-sponsored exchange traded fund QATR worth QR0.36mn trade across 61 deals.The Arab individuals continued to be bullish but with lesser intensity in the main market this week which saw 0.01mn Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR0.07mn change hands across 11 transactions.The Arab funds’ net buying was seen weakening in the main bourse this week which saw no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices of the main market this week, which saw Wasata Financial Securities disclose its plans to provide market making support for Dukhan Bank.Market capitalisation shot up QR4.69bn or 0.74% to QR635.73bn on the back of mid and small cap segments this week which saw the consumer goods, banking and industrials sectors together constitute about 81% of the total trade volumes.Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the main bourse; while the venture market saw heightened volume and value this week.The Total Return Index rose 0.7%, the All Islamic Index by 0.41% and the All Share Index by 0.82% this week.The insurance sector index shot up 2.48%, consumer goods and services (1.38%), banks and financial services (1.07%), and industrials (1.06%); real estate declined 1.25%, transport (0.66%) and telecom (0.48%) this week.Major gainers in the main market included Mannai Corporation, Meeza, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Qatar Insurance, Baladna, QNB, Qatar Islamic Bank, Woqod, Mekdam Holding, Industries Qatar, Gulf International Services, Qatar National Cement, Milaha and Gulf Warehousing. In the juniour bourse, Techno Q saw its shares appreciate in value this week.Nevertheless, Qatar Cinema and Film, Distribution, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Al Mahhar Holding, Qatar German Medical Devices, Salam International Investment, Medicare Group, Qamco, Estithmar Holding, QLM, Ezdan, Barwa, United Development Company, Vodafone Qatar and Nakilat were among the shakers in the main market this week.The foreign retail investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.32mn compared with net sellers of QR20.43mn the previous week.The domestic institutions’ net selling weakened significantly to QR11.38mn against QR634.55mn the week ended June 26.The Gulf individual investors’ net profit booking decreased markedly to QR7.02mn compared to QR14.42mn a week ago.However, the local retail investors’ net selling expanded noticeably to QR111.41mn against QR101.93mn the previous week.The foreign institutions’ net buying declined substantially to QR104.05mn compared to QR719.93mn the week ended June 26.The Arab individual investors’ net buying shrank drastically to QR16.18mn against QR40.65mn a week ago.The Gulf institutions’ net buying weakened perceptibly to QR9.27mn compared to QR10.46mn the previous week.The Arab institutions’ net buying eased marginally to QR0.01mn against QR0.28mn the week ended June 26.The main market saw a 36% fall in trade volumes to 779.37mn shares, 36% in value to QR1.95bn and 17% in deals to 96,706 this week.In the venture market, trade volumes almost quadrupled to 1.26mn equities and value more than quadrupled to QR3.56mn on more than doubled transactions to 290.

Doha seeks to develop a pioneering ecosystem that expands open banking capabilities, supported by advanced frameworks and API (application programming interface) platforms, according to a Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) report.“This will enhance the regulatory environment and support digital banking, crowdfunding, and emerging technologies,” QFC said in its Islamic Finance Report.Highlighting that QNB launched its open banking platform in 2022; it said this platform, the first of its kind in Qatar and one of the first in the region, allows customers, partners, and fintechs to securely access the bank’s core systems, enabling a seamless banking experience.In May 2024, QNB expanded its open banking services to corporate clients, further enhancing its offerings. QNB’s partnership with Ooredoo on the Ooredoo Money service exemplifies successful open banking and fintech collaboration.Open banking is a financial services model that allows third-party service providers to access consumer data from traditional banking systems through APIs. Open banking has the potential to revolutionise the country’s financial services sector as it allows new entrants into the market, open up new opportunities for startups and fintechs.The QFC report said open banking can benefit Islamic banks by enabling personalised, Shariah-compliant financial products and fintech solutions, such as real-time Zakat calculation apps.By using APIs to aggregate financial data from multiple sources, Islamic banks can offer tailored Shariah-compliant investment portfolios, including products like sukuk and equity funds.This integration can enhance customer experience and financial inclusion, and drive innovation in Islamic financial products, it said.Open banking is rapidly transforming the financial landscape in the GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) region. This trend involves financial institutions granting third-party providers access to consumer-banking transactions, and other financial data through APIs, according to the report.Open banking securely integrates a bank’s core financial services with its partners’, facilitating data sharing and payments between organisations.This integration enables the creation of new financial products and services, enhancing customer experience and fostering innovation the report said.Leveraging fintech partnerships and open banking initiatives will drive digital transformation and innovation in the Islamic banking sector going forward, while expanding sustainable Islamic banking offerings will support Qatar’s decarbonisation and just transition efforts, according to the report.Further advancing their digital transformation agendas, Islamic banks have begun integrating more advanced technologies such as AI or artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain into their operations.Banks in Qatar have begun to embrace open banking as a crucial initiative to enhance customer satisfaction. By launching open banking platforms, these institutions are providing an enhanced banking experience to their customers, as well as partners and emerging fintech players in Qatar, a PricewaterhouseCoopers study had said.

Market EyeAmidst apprehensions over the US' potential re-imposition of tariffs next week, the Qatar Stock Exchange treaded almost a flat path despite stronger buying interests in consumer goods, industrials and banking counters.The Gulf institutions were seen net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled mere 0.85 points higher at 10,699.24 points, but recovering from an intraday low of 10,662 points.The foreign individual investors were seen bullish in the main market, whose year-to-date gains rose marginally to 1.21%.The domestic institutions’ weakened net selling had its influence on the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR0.8bn or 0.13% to QR632.87bn mainly on account of microcap segments.The local retail investors were seen net buyers in the main market, which saw 0.04mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank) valued at QR0.09mn trade across 11 deals.The Gulf individuals’ lower net profit booking had its effect on the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The Islamic index was seen gaining faster than the main barometer of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Arab retail investors continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index was up 0.01%, the All Share Index by 0.07% and the All Islamic Index by 0.07% in the main market.The consumer goods and services sector index rose 1.12%, industrials (0.34%) and banks and financial services (0.22%); while transport declined 1.69%, insurance (0.66%), real estate (0.55%) and telecom (0.11%).Major movers in the main market included Meeza, Woqod, Qatar German Medical Devices, Ahlibank Qatar, Doha Insurance, Estithmar Holding and Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding.Nevertheless, about 64% of the traded constituents were in the red with major losers being Nakilat, Inma Holding, Baladna, Medicare Group, Gulf Warehousing, Doha Bank, Qatar Oman Investment, Widam Food, Al Faleh Educational Holding and Qatar Insurance.In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.The Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR2.7mn compared with net sellers of QR2.21mn the previous day.The foreign retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR1.37mn against net sellers of QR0.41mn on July 1.The local individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.15mn compared with net sellers of QR7.56mn on Tuesday.The domestic institutions’ net selling weakened perceptibly to QR14.55mn against QR17.61mn the previous day.The Gulf retail investors’ net profit booking declined noticeably to QR0.66mn compared to QR5.12mn on July 1.However, the foreign institutions’ net buying decreased significantly to QR4.84mn against QR23.29mn on Tuesday.The Arab individual investors’ net buying shrank markedly to QR5.15mn compared to QR9.62mn the previous day.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the third consecutive session.The main market saw a 24% jump in trade volumes to 143.72mn shares and 24% in value to QR381758mn but on 3% fall in deals to 18,379.In the venture market, a total of 8,842 equities valued at QR0.02mn changed hands across four transactions.

Qatar has laid out procedures for obtaining the commercial licence for cloud kitchens, a move that is seen to regulate the sector as well as to enhance innovation and support digital ventures in the food industry.The targets are restaurants seeking expansion without opening new branches; entrepreneurs and investors in the food sector; and delivery companies and food app providers, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) said in its social media handle X.The objectives are to regulate the operation of cloud kitchens within a licensed and secure business environment; ensure food safety and the quality of services provided to consumers; promote innovation and support digital ventures in the food sector; and support digital transformation and develop the infrastructure for logistics services.Cloud kitchens are establishments dedicated to preparing and marketing food exclusively through online platforms, without the need for dining areas or direct customer interaction. They represent a modern model within the food sector, enabling entrepreneurs to reduce operational costs and expand geographically with speed and efficiency by leveraging technology and delivery services.To obtain a licence for a cloud kitchen, investors must establish a company and obtain a commercial registration, which can be done through the single window devices portal. The commercial activity listed in both the registration and the licence must be related to food preparation or catering services, said the guidelines and requirements for cloud kitchen licensing, issued by MoCI.As per the procedures for processing commercial licences for sub-kitchens (within a cloud kitchen), the commercial registration is expected to be granted within one to two days. Along with commercial registration certificate, the establishment phase will see granting of tax identification number, establishment ID and Qatar Chamber member subscription.An application must be submitted for each internal kitchen through the single window services portal and payment of QR500 commercial license issuance fees.The MoCI’s guidelines “aims to regulate the process of issuing and granting licences for cloud kitchens within a clear legislative and procedural framework that supports the ease of establishing such facilities, while ensuring compliance with technical, health, and regulatory standards.”Through this guide, the commercial registration and licensing department seeks to streamline the digital business environment and provide a “unified reference” that facilitates procedures for investors and entrepreneurs, while maintaining the quality and safety of the food services provided. Additionally, the guide offers a comprehensive understanding of the requirements and regulatory controls, thereby helping to reduce procedural errors, improve the efficiency of licence issuance, and strengthen the competitiveness of the food sector in line with national digital transformation objectives.In addition to procedures and requirements, the MoCI guidelines have set out general and specific conditions that must be adhered to for the licensing and operation of cloud kitchens.The location must be appropriate for the type of kitchen (segmented or multi-brand); a valid building completion certificate for the site, along with approval from the relevant authority; mandatory compliance with safety and protection requirements, such as civil defence, fire prevention, and industrial ventilation; presence of separate water, electricity, and sewage networks that ensure no impact on public health; site must not be directly connected to permanent residential units or used for residential purposes; and the trade name and commercial registration number must be clearly displayed on the kitchen’s front facade.The specific requirements include approval from the Technical Affairs Department at the Ministry of Municipality; final approvals from Civil Defence and relevant health authorities; separation between preparation, cooking, storage, and packaging areas; secure entrance for delivery staff to prevent interaction with preparation areas; and adequate ventilation and facility for the smooth entry and exit of vehicles.