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Easing tariff concerns had its positive influence on the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) , which Tuesday gained more than 21 points, on the back of buying support from local retail investors.The banks, insurance and telecom counters witnessed higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.21% to 10,325.29 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,359 points.The foreign institutions’ weakened net profit booking had its effect on the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated to 2.33%.The domestic funds continued to be bullish but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR1.04bn or 0.17% to QR609.26bn on the back of microcap segments.The foreign individuals also continued to be net buyers but with lesser vigour in the main market, which saw as many as 0.01mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.06mn change hands across 11 deals.The Gulf retail investors were seen bearish in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The Islamic index was outperforming the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Arab individuals were seen increasingly net profit takers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index rose 0.21%, the All Islamic Index by 0.35% and the All Share Index by 0.27% in the main market.The banks and financial services sector index shot up 1.05%, insurance (0.56%) and telecom (0.43%); whereas transport declined 1.41%, real estate 90.97%), industrials (0.6%) and consumer goods and services (0.55%).Major gainers in the main bourse included Beema, Qatar National Cement, Vodafone Qatar, QLM, Qatar Islamic Bank, Doha Bank, Lesha Bank, QIIB, Qatar Electricity and Water and Qamco.Nevertheless, about 55% of the traded constituents in the main market were in the red with major losers being Alijarah Holding, Meeza, Nakilat, Al Mahhar Holding, Baladna, Qatari German Medical Devices, Industries Qatar, Aamal Company, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding and Barwa. In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.The Qatari individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR5.14mn compared with net sellers of QR18.39mn on April 28.The foreign institutions’ net profit booking weakened noticeably to QR6.44mn against QR13.19mn the previous day.However, the Gulf retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR6.02mn compared with net buyers of QR0.52mn on Monday.The Arab individual investors’ net selling strengthened perceptibly to QR5.86mn against QR3.72mn on April 28.The Gulf institutions turned net profit takers to the tune of QR0.98mn compared with net buyers of QR7.2mn the previous day.The domestic institutions’ net selling decreased substantially to QR14.02mn against QR29.71mn on Monday.The foreign individual investors’ net buying eased marginally to QR0.12mn compared to QR0.38mn on April 28.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the second straight session.The main market witnessed a 6% jump in trade volumes to 196.55mn shares, 19% in value to QR469.91mn and 55% in deals to 25,605.In the venture market, trade volumes zoomed 20% to 0.04mn equities, value by 11% to QR0.1mn and transactions by 78% to 16.

The UK-GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) free trade agreement (FTA) is on its last mile and expected to be signed by the end of this year, according to Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed al-Thani, Qatar’s ambassador to the UK."It (the UK-GCC FTA) is in the last mile and by the end of this year we should see the light in the tunnel," Sheikh Abdulla said at a function where a report 'The Economic Contribution of Qatari Investments in the UK', prepared by the Centre for Business and Economic Research (CEBR), was launched.The Gulf countries - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE - which have embarked on reforms to diversify their economies away from hydrocarbons, view that benefits would be plentiful and that the US' tariff policies have now given a renewed thrust for the UK to reach a FTA with the GCC.Highlighting that the GCC are open trading nations, British ambassador to Qatar Neerav Patel said: "I think now or never would be an important moment for us to show the signal that we are ready to deepen that trading partnership to our mutual benefit."Finding that it (FTA) is one of those areas that sometimes don’t get the headlines or the public attention; he said but there's a lot of work going on behind the scenes to try and make that a success.The UK believes a GCC FTA would increase bilateral trade by 16% and could add an extra £8.6bn a year to the existing £57.4bn worth of annual trade between the two sides.In reply to written question in the UK parliament, Douglas Alexander, Minister of State for Trade Policy and Economic Security had in December last year said talks throughout the autumn have continued to be constructive, with good momentum from the GCC, which has enabled further treaty text to be agreed. The focus from both sides is on achieving a modern and commercially meaningful agreement.A mutually beneficial FTA between the UK and the GCC will deliver economic growth, higher wages and new investment, he said, adding the negotiation is progressing at pace and good progress is being made in services, investment and digital; goods; and other areas such as sustainable trade, including environment and labour."Central to growing our economy and ensuring working people in every community feel the benefits of that growth, is an expansion of FTAs with strategic partners," according to him.The UK's recently appointed Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Emma Reynolds, had described a FTA with the GCC as “in development”.The GCC secretary-general Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi had last year highlighted a strong interest from the new British government (under Keir Starmer) and a genuine desire to wrap up the FTA negotiation rounds.

The Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) has issued proposals regarding market risks by proposing to revise the approach to its calculation and other miscellaneous amendments for conventional and Islamic banks.The QFCRA is seeking public comments on the proposed draft BANK and IBANK (Market Risk and Miscellaneous) Amendments Rules 2025.The prudential banking framework in the QFC that applies to conventional banking business firms and Islamic banking business firms comprises the Banking Business Prudential Rules 2014 and Islamic Banking Business Prudential Rules 2015.It is based on the international frameworks developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) and the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB).As part of its ongoing work programme to maintain consistency with these international frameworks, the QFCRA is proposing to revise the approach to the calculation of market risk capital requirements in the prudential framework.The key amendment proposed in the draft rules to implement the simplified standardised approach or SSA is the introduction of scaling factors into the calculation of the market risk capital requirements.Guidance is proposed in Islamic banks' prudential rules to clarify that a market risk capital requirement calculated for an Islamic finance contract may be subject to a scaling factor, as determined by the type of market risk to which the capital requirement relates.The QFCRA proposes amendments to the specific risk capital requirements for interest rate risk as the key amendment is to ensure only Qatar Riyal denominated instruments issued by Qatar or certain other state institutions are, by default, subject to a 0% specific risk capital requirement, regardless of rating or maturity. This is to align with the credit risk treatment of relevant exposures in the prudential regulations for conventional and Islamic banks.The QFCRA proposes to implement the simplified standardised approach to market risk measurement from the BCBS and IFSB frameworks.It is also proposing to implement related miscellaneous amendments to introduce limits on QFC banks’ concentrations in foreign currencies.Under the proposed rules, a QFC bank’s net open position in a foreign currency other than US dollar must not be greater than 5% of the bank’s Tier 1 capital; net open position in USD must not be greater than 25% of the bank’s Tier 1 capital; and total net open positions in surplus, or total net open positions in deficit, (whichever is higher) in all foreign currencies (including USD) must not be greater than 30% of the bank’s Tier 1 capital.The proposals support the QFCRA's commitment to the maintenance of high international regulatory standards for financial services, and the continued development of the QFC as a leading financial and business centre in the Middle East.

Qatari-owned businesses in the UK supported a cumulative aggregate revenue impact of £1.3tn across the entire UK economy during 2008-22, creating thousands of jobs, according to CEBR or Centre for Economics and Business Research report.Assessing the economic footprint of Qatar’s longstanding partnership with the UK; the report found Qatari-owned businesses in the UK supported an aggregate 611,171 full-time-equivalent (FTE) jobs as of 2022, representing one in every 44 FTE roles within the UK, highlighting the broad employment impact across multiple sectors.In 2022 alone, these businesses supported £26.8bn in aggregate wages, salaries, and benefits for employees; cumulatively, this figure stands at £281.8bn since 2008, said the analysis, which is limited to foreign direct investment (FDI) in companies where Qatari entities own at least 10% of the equity share capital."Qatar and the UK share an exceptionally strong and unique relationship which stems from historic ties of friendship, which we are committed to advancing for the betterment of our peoples and the cause of global peace, stability and prosperity," said Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Saud al-Thani, Qatar's envoy to the UK, the Ireland and the Iceland.In 2022 alone, the cumulative turnover of these Qatari-owned businesses stood at £127.2bn, reflecting a broad and diversified range of investments.These investments contributed a cumulative aggregate footprint of £524.3bn in gross value added (GVA). In 2022, this stood at £50.6bn, constituting about 0.6% of the UK’s total GVA in 2022.This GVA contribution exceeds the entire GVA of the UK’s food and beverage services sector at £46bn in 2022, highlighting the considerable economic impact of Qatari investments and demonstrating a contribution on par with one of the UK’s substantial service industries.In 2022, over half (53%) of the turnover and a third (34%) of the GVA of Qatari investments in the UK was generated outside London.Employment impacts are evenly distributed, with one out of every two jobs created by Qatari-owned businesses located outside London, supporting job creation nationwide, CEBR said, adding the employment multiplier effect is also slightly higher outside London (3.79 against 3.61 in London), highlighting the strong ripple effects of Qatari investments in regional economies.Qatar is one of the UK’s key trading partners, ranking as the 23rd largest export destination in 2023. The UK exported goods and services valued at £3.9bn, with the largest export category being power-generating machinery, it said; adding direct exports of £3.6bn supported an aggregate turnover of £7.4bn in the UK economy in 2022. In terms of contribution to GDP, these exports supported an aggregate GVA of £2.3bn.The leading region for UK exports to Qatar is the North West, which contributed nearly one fifth (18.8%) of the total £3.9bn of exports in 2023. Exports to Qatar from the UK directly generated 20,185 FTE jobs directly.Furthermore, the UK imports from Qatar reached a historical peak in 2022, at £7.8bn, partly driven by the critical supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the face of geopolitical tensions due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.In 2022, the UK imports of Qatari gas facilitated a downstream turnover of £8.2bn. The use of this import supported £2.5bn in downstream GVA, and supported approximately 27,700 (FTE jobs across various sectors using Qatari gas.In December 2024, Qatar committed £1bn to a UK-Qatar clean energy partnership, supporting climate technology initiatives, including advancements by Rolls-Royce. Earlier, Qatar committed up to £10bn over five years (starting in 2022) to invest in key UK sectors including fintech, zero-emission vehicles, life sciences, and cybersecurity.These initiatives are expected to drive economic growth, create high-quality jobs, and further strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two countries.Qatar’s positive impact on the UK economy stretches to include substantial tax payments to the UK exchequer. In 2022, Qatari-owned businesses contributed £3.4bn in taxes, with income tax on employee salaries representing £1.1bn. Qatari-owned retail trade businesses contributed £2.2bn in taxes, more than companies in all other sectors combined.From 2014 to 2022, construction projects financed by Qatari-owned businesses generated cumulative direct business revenue of £5.1bn, with £644mn in 2022 alone. The cumulative impact of these projects rises to £12.3bn since 2014, underscoring the extensive economic ripple effects within the UK economy.In total, these construction projects have contributed an aggregate GVA of £5.3bn, supported 70,673 FTE job years, and provided £2.6bn in employee compensation since 2014.

Doha Port, which is Qatar’s gateway to marine tourism, continues to play a pivotal role in advancing the country’s cruise tourism with it achieving remarkable annual growth of 27% in visitors and 33% in ships arrival during the previous season, which ended in April 2024, according to Mwani Qatar.In the current season, which began in October 2024 and ended in April 2025, Doha Port welcomed 95 cruise calls, including 33 turnaround calls, 11 homeporting calls and five maiden calls, bringing over 430,000 visitors to Qatar, Mwani Qatar said in its annual report.The reporting period for Doha Port spans from January to December, but the cruise season runs from September to April.The 2024 season witnessed the arrival of notable ships such as Mein Schiff 4, MSC Euribia, AIDAprima, Costa Smeralda, Norwegian Sky, and Celestyal Journey, further solidifying Qatar’s growing status as a premier global cruise destination.The year saw 23 cruise calls from Florida-headquartered Carnival, 18 from MSC, 15 from Germany-based TUI, eight from Resorts World Cruises, six from Ponant Luxury Cruise, five from Celestyal Cruises, two from Norwegian Cruise Line and one from Plantours.The Doha Port witnessed the arrival of as many as 74,441 passengers and 21,278 crew in January 2024; 70,826 and 19,453 in February; 47,873 and 13,376 in March; 4,051 and 967 in April; 22,660 and 10,733 in November and 73,966 and 25,190 in December. In 2024, a total of 293,817 visitors had arrived in the port.The port received as many as 19 cruise ships in January, 14 in February, 11 in March, 1 in April, 9 in November and 25 in December.

Demand remains "high" for "good quality" issuers like Qatar, which is one of the three Gulf countries that will continue to have comfortable fiscal position amid weakening oil prices due to the US tariff uncertainties, according to a top official of Standard Chartered Bank.In a media roundtable on Tuesday, Standard Chartered Bank Middle East and North Africa (Mena) economist Carla Slim said the Middle East region is in a very “unique” position to withstand and weather the storm despite expected "stagflation" in the US and disinflation in Asia."There's very high demand for good quality paper and highly rated economies and issuers like Qatar where investors want to see more issuers in these spaces because they have a lot of liquidity that they want to deploy in high quality markets," she said, adding Doha also wants to diversify its access to liquidity.Highlighting that Qatar's North Field project will significantly increase the gas contribution to the economy; she said that is going to lead to a rebalancing of a lot of macro-implicators in Qatar, all the way from the GDP (gross domestic product) composition to public debt to GDP.Qatar may have seen an economic slowdown post 2022 FIFA, but did not see any retardation year-on-year, which meant that the non-oil economies continue to grow, albeit at a slower pace, given the slower investment growth after the World Cup, she said.A global research report from Standard Chartered last year had forecasted Qatar’s economy to double in size by 2031, aided by its ability to restore government revenues to pre-2014 oil price shock levels.With North Field gas expansion, which was partly helped by the European Union officially endorsing gas as a transition fuel, Slim said there were long term contracts that Qatar has already signed for the expanded capacity, due to come online at the end of the year.Nevertheless, other regional players in hydrocarbons have actually reduced their expansion plans, partly because the Opec agreement has meant that these economies and these countries have been under producing.Highlighting that the Middle East will have "very little" direct impact from the US tariff crisis; she however said oil prices have taken a hit and that's going to have an impact.With oil prices rounding up at $65 for Brent, however she said there are only three GCC economies that continue to have a comfortable fiscal or budget position."These are Qatar, the UAE and Oman. At $65 Qatar, UAE and Oman still have a budget either that is balanced or that has a small surplus so benefits still from a surplus of liquidity from the budget perspective," she said.Finding that the indirect effects – from oil prices to forex risks – are far more consequential; Slim said yet, this environment presents an opportunity for trade rerouting and deeper South–South integration, which could ultimately benefit the GCC’s position as a global trade corridor.Expecting the region to import some stagflation from the US and disinflation from Asia; she however said "we believe that the Middle East is in a very unique position to withstand and weather this storm."Finding that the region would have very little direct hit as a result of the tariff crisis, she said the US already has a trade surplus with many of the Middle Eastern economies, implying that Washington's exports to these regions more than these regions export to the US and this is why many of the countries in the region only got initially the 10% universal rate rather than a higher tariff rate.

Techno Q has set strategic goals for 2025 which include foraying into new verticals, strengthening IT business, enhancing digitisation and automation and growing footprint in Saudi Arabia and Oman as part of efforts to enhance its market share.“2025 presents significant opportunities for Techno Q to expand, innovate, and strengthen its market leadership. By focusing on strategic regional expansion, advanced technology,” said the company’s board report, placed before shareholders at the annual general assembly meeting, which approved 2024 results and 14.2% cash dividend. On expansion into new market segments, it said the strategy is to diversify beyond core business areas (AV, ELV, and hospitality Solutions) by entering smart infrastructure, cybersecurity, and AI-driven automation as well as target growing industries such as healthcare, education, and smart cities that require advanced system integration services.“We are focused on scaling our core capabilities while entering high-impact domains such as managed IT services and digital security. Our market positioning, strong financial health, and innovation-driven mindset will drive Techno Q’s next growth chapter across Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia,” said Zeyad al-Jaidah, managing director and co-founder of Techno Q.Finding strong growth potential in smart cities and digital infrastructure investments; Techno Q said the governments across the Middle East, particularly in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, are investing heavily in smart city technologies.Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and Qatar’s National Vision 2030 are driving demand for intelligent security, smart buildings, and digital transformation projects, it said, adding opportunities exist in providing AI-powered surveillance, IoT-based automation, and integrated command centre solutions. About strengthening market presence in the region, Techno Q eyes increasing market penetration in Saudi Arabia and Oman by leveraging government digitalisation projects; enhancing local partnerships by strengthening collaboration with key government and private-sector entities to secure large-scale projects; and improving regional competitiveness through investments in local talent and infrastructure to enhance service delivery and client relationships. Highlighting that with increasing cyber threats, businesses and governments are investing in advanced cybersecurity solutions, it said Techno Q’s IT Business unit can capitalise on this trend by offering network security and endpoint protection, cloud security solutions, and cyber threat intelligence and risk assessment services.In support of its outlook on the potential, Techno Q said the technology sector in the Middle East saw steady growth in 2024, despite macroeconomic pressures and geopolitical uncertainties.The digital transformation market in the region was valued at $1.48bn and is projected to reach $2.58bn by 2029 (compound annual growth rate of 11.8%), it said, adding cybersecurity spending exceeded $6.5bn, reflecting increased demand for IT security solutions. Finding healthcare and education sectors as potential areas; it said the digitisation of hospitals and educational institutions presents new opportunities for integrated AV, smart security, and automation solutions.The demand for telemedicine infrastructure, remote learning solutions, and intelligent security systems is increasing, it said. Techno Q’s 2025 goals also include enhancing operational efficiency and cost optimisation by implementing AI-powered analytics to optimise project costing, inventory management, and resource allocation; and streamlining internal processes through automation and digitisation, boosting overall efficiency.

Total value of contracts awarded in Qatar’s gas sector saw a 19-fold year-on-year surge to $4.3bn in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025, according to Kamco Invest, a regional economic think-tank.There is no immediate threat of the US tariffs on the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) projects market, which is slated to “remain strong” for the whole of 2025, it also said in a report.QatarEnergy LNG recently selected India’s Larsen & Toubro Energy Hydrocarbon (LTEH) for a $4bn to $5bn package covering the engineering, procurement, construction, and installation contract under the second phase of North Field Production Sustainability (NFPS) project, Kamco Invest said, quoting MEED Projects.This includes construction and installation of two major gas compression systems — CP8S and CP4N — each weighing 25,000–35,000 tonnes. The scope of the project also involves building compression platforms, flare gas platforms, and other related structures.The total value of overall contracts awarded in Qatar stood at $5.2bn in January-March this year, which however fell 37.9% on an annualised basis. This drop in contract awards was due to a sharp decrease in the value of projects awarded in Qatar’s transport, water, and construction sectors, Kamco said.Notably, there were no contracts awarded in the transport, water, chemical, and industrial sectors of Qatar during the review period. In addition, total contracts awarded in Qatar’s construction sector fell by 64.6% year-on-year to $401mn in Q1-2025.Highlighting that the outlook for the GCC project market for 2025 is expected to remain strong; it said numerous favourable factors across the GCC are anticipated to support project market momentum in 2025.Among them is notable growth in the GCC hospitality projects during the year. As per MEED Projects, healthcare contracts worth over $3bn are currently out-to-bid, signalling a strong project pipeline. Saudi Arabia leads with 51% of the total value of the GCC healthcare pipeline in 2025. In comparison, the UAE has $6.8bn in contracts under planning and execution and Kuwait has $3.6bn in hospitality projects under similar stages.Saudi Arabia’s $450mn project — King Faisal Medical City in Asir: Phase 2 — ranks as the largest planned and un-awarded GCC healthcare project out-to-bid, followed by Qatar’s $300mn Ashghal - Hamad General Hospital (HGH) Safety Improvements (Packages 1, 2 & 3).Overall, the GCC holds around $1.54tn in contracts at the pre-execution stage, with Saudi Arabia accounting for the largest share (52.1%).A number of these projects are anticipated to be awarded within the next 6–12 months, indicating that 2025 could rival or surpass the award volumes of 2024, according to MEED Projects.About 34.3% of these contracts are in the design phase, while about 8.1% are currently under bid evaluation. Saudi Arabia leads with $801.2bn in pre-execution stage projects, followed by the UAE ($312.3bn), Oman ($169.9bn), and Kuwait ($130.8bn), respectively.Elaborating on the US tariff and its effect, it said “on the surface, there appears to be no immediate threat of US tariffs impacting the GCC projects market, as most GCC countries have limited trade exposure to the US on both the import and export fronts.”According to MEED Projects, only Bahrain sends more than 5% of its exports to the US. Furthermore, the US maintains trade surpluses with five of the six GCC markets, and as a result, a basic tariff of 10% has been imposed.In addition, hydrocarbons — the primary export commodity of GCC nations — are among the goods exempted from tariffs. However, declining oil prices, driven by negative global economic sentiment linked to US tariff effects on trade, may have an impact on GCC revenues and consequently their project funding capabilities.Reduced oil prices lead to lower government income across the GCC, which in turn may result in reduced spending on projects.

The US-Qatar Business Council (USQBC), in collaboration with the US Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA), has hosted Business Circles: SelectUSA 2025 Edition, as part of efforts to explore cross-border value creation in the US.The programme brought together business leaders, professionals, and specialists from the US Commercial Service for dynamic roundtable sessions focused on harnessing opportunities in the US market through the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2025, which is taking place next month the US.Hosted by the US Department of Commerce, the summit, which will be held at the National Harbor, Maryland from May 11-14, 2025, is a one-stop shop for companies considering expanding to the US and provides EDOs or economic development organisations with the opportunity to meet directly with global companies to facilitate investment deals.The SelectUSA Investment Summit 2025 is a high-profile event for international business investment. Qatar’s delegation will benefit from direct connections to US economic development organisations, service providers, commercial advisers, and policymakers, offering high-value networking and investment matchmaking across sectors.Organised as part of the USQBC’s ongoing partnership with ITA, the programme ‘Business Circles: SelectUSA 2025 Edition — Move & Meet, Learn & Lead’ was a practical forum to explore cross-border business opportunities, reinforcing the council’s mission to deepen economic ties and expand commercial co-operation between the two countries.“The US represents the world’s largest consumer market... Meanwhile, Qatar’s business landscape is expanding rapidly through entrepreneurship, world-class infrastructure, and the government’s drive to diversify the economy and promote the private sector. Now is the perfect moment for companies in Qatar to explore cross-border value creation in the US,” said USQBC Doha Managing Director Sheikha Mayes bint Hamad al-Thani, who emphasised the importance of advancing US-Qatar trade and investment.Janelle Weyek, Commercial Counselor at the US Embassy Doha, stressed the importance of continuing to grow the commercial and investment relationship.Srinivasa Murthy, US Commercial Specialist, highlighted the summit’s features, benefits, and registration guidelines, and encouraged participants to reach out for one-on-one calls to discuss their individual business objectives.The programme’s core component was a series of interactive Business Circle discussions, led by officials from the US Commercial Service, the USQBC team, and SelectUSA 2025 ambassadors, past members of Qatar’s delegation to the summit. These small-group conversations offered attendees first-hand insights and strategic guidance for maximising the summit’s benefits.A networking reception closed the programme, reinforcing connections built during the Business Circles and underscoring the Council’s role in facilitating valuable engagements. USQBC remains committed to fostering a thriving business environment and enabling companies in Qatar to access local and cross-border avenues to meet their strategic goals.Since inception, the SelectUSA Investment Summit has attracted thousands of international companies and economic development representatives generating more than $135bn in new investment projects supporting more than 105,000 jobs across the US and its territories.The previous version of the summit saw record-breaking numbers with more than 5,000 participants, including EDO representatives from 56 US states and territories and over 2,500 business investors from 96 international markets.

Hamad Port has seen 1.421mn twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers during 2024, reflecting a 9% jump on an annualised basis, according to Mwani Qatar.The container growth was seen maximum at 52% in June 2024; while April 2024 had seen the maximum decline of 17%. Six of the 12 months had witnessed contraction in the container movement through Hamad Port.The port also saw a 23% year-on-year rise in transshipment, reaching 683,552 TEUs, which accounted for 48% of the total containers handled, Mwani Qatar said in its 2024 annual report, which was released on Sunday.The export and import TEUs were 274,436 and 472,927, accounting for 19% and 33% of the total containers in the review period. The export and import containers were down 0.4% and 1% respectively on an annualised basis.Hamad Port, Qatar’s main gateway to world trade, in 2024 reached a major milestone by handling 10mn TEUs since beginning operations in December 2016, highlighting the port’s vital role in maritime logistics and its robust capabilities, making it a preferred hub for international shipping companies.Year-to-date berth utilisation stood at 45% for CT2 (second container terminal) and 17% in the case of CT1, it said.The berth utilisation was high as 52% and as low as 33% in March and April for CT2. In CT1, the yard utilisation was as high as 20% in March and October 2024 and as low as 12% in August 2024.Additionally, the port managed 1.018mn tonnes of general cargo; 399,554 tonnes of bulk cargo; 130,332 units of RORO (vehicles); and 20,000 livestock heads; marking 62% and 115% growth respectively with the arrival of as many as 1,578 vessels.Of the 1,578 vessels in 2024, as many as 1,452 were cargo vessels; 118 were offshore vessels; and eight were naval ships. The bulk and car carrier witnessed 79% and 10% growth year-on-year in 2024; whereas general cargo, offshore supply and container shrank 24%, 6% and 4% respectively.Of the 1,578 vessels in 2024; the report said containers were as many as 1,071 or contributed 68% to the total; followed by general cargo 179 (11%), car carrier 175 (11%), offshore supply 118 (7%), bulk 25 (2%), and naval 8 (1%).In 2024, the gate moves -- which help track the movement of containers and cargo within the facility, ensure accurate inventory management, and facilitate efficient handling and processing of shipments - were seen highest at 41,275 in July and the lowest at 34,244 in February.The average truck turnaround time - which is the total time a truck spends in the dock area picking up or dropping off a container - was 23 hours in 2024 compared to 23 hours in 2023.

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) yesterday gained for the sixth consecutive day with its key index surpassing the 10,200 levels, on buying interests especially in the telecom and consumer goods sectors.The local retail investors turned bullish as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose as much as 67 points or 0.66% to 10,213.33 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,147 points.The US-tariff relief continued to have its influence in the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated further to 3.38%. As much as 53% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR3.73bn or 0.63% to QR600.35bn on the back of large and small cap segments.The domestic funds’ weakened net profit booking had its influence in the main market, which saw as many as 0.03mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank) valued at QR0.07mn change hands across nine deals. The foreign retail investors continued to be bullish but with lesser vigour in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decrease.The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The Arab retail investors were seen net profit takers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index rose 0.66%, the All Share Index by 0.6% and the All Islamic Index by 0.49% in the main market.The telecom sector index soared 2.88%, consumer goods and services (1.03%), industrials (0.48%), banks and financial services (0.47%), transport (0.35%) and realty (0.34%); whereas insurance declined 0.27%. Major gainers in the main bourse included Ooredoo, Industries Qatar, Inma Holding, Medicare Group, Qatar Islamic Bank and Woqod. In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares appreciate in value.Nevertheless, Al Meera, Zad Holding, Al Mahhar Holding, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, QIIB and Qatari German Medical Devices were among the losers in the main market.The Qatari individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR2.73mn compared with net sellers of QR9.31mn on April 14.The domestic institutions’ net profit booking weakened markedly to QR1.56mn against QR9.28mn the previous day.However, the Arab retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR4.01mn compared with net buyers of QR4.07mn on Monday.The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking strengthened significantly to QR3.7mn against QR0.65mn on April 14.The Gulf individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.5mn compared with net buyers of QR0.64mn the previous day.The foreign institutions’ net buying decreased noticeably to QR7.05mn against QR13.08mn on Monday.The foreign individual investors’ net selling eased marginally to QR0.01mn compared to QR1.45mn on April 14.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the second straight session.The main market witnessed 48% plunge in trade volumes to 93.94mn shares, 35% in value to QR242.08mn and 35% in deals to 11,886.In the junior bourse, trade volumes plummeted 93% to 0.06mn equities, value by 93% to QR0.18mn and transactions by 63% to 12.

Al Meera Consumer Goods Company is strengthening efforts to digitise platforms and expand self-checkout as part of its continued strategies to improve services to customers."Looking towards the future, Al Meera’s strategy remains centered on enhancing the customer experience by improving service, digitising platforms, expanding self-checkout, and upgrading store aesthetics," said its board report tabled before shareholders at the annual general assembly meeting, which approved the financial results and cash dividends of QR0.85 per share for 2024.Operationally, the focus would be on increasing efficiency and cost-effectiveness through technological advancements and streamlined processes to ensure operational excellence and deliver superior customer value, it said."In line with our continuous ambition to expand the horizons of innovation as a key driver of sustainable growth, we have made significant progress in this direction through a long-term strategy and our ambitious journey toward comprehensive digital transformation," said Al Meera chairman Abdulla Abdulaziz Abdullah Turki al-Subaie in the 2024 report.During the review period, Al Meera strengthened its market presence both online and offline with its online and home delivery service contributing 5%–6% of total sales.Over the past year, Al Meera strengthened its position as a leader in advanced retail, continuing to adopt a sustainable innovation strategy with a focus on digital transformation, a focus that led to significant advancements in 2024.As part of its digital transformation, Al Meera had in 2024 introduced smart shopping carts, the first of their kind in Qatar."Following the opening Al Meera Smart, a fully automated, check-out free branch in 2023, the first of its kind in Qatar and the region, we continued to advance our digital retail offering with the launch of smart shopping carts in January 2024, the first in Qatar, further enhancing the in-store experience and reinforcing our commitment to delivering innovative and seamless shopping solutions for our customers," according to al-Subaie.On the digital end, the company further integrated the SAP system into its operations, building upon the strategic partnership established with the global technology leader in 2023.This collaboration targets modernising Al Meera’s branches and services with advanced cloud solutions, directly contributing to its operational excellence and expansion plans and enhancing the experience for both customers and employees, the board report said.Alongside its focus on innovation and sustainability, Al Meera remains firmly committed to supporting local industries, bringing together suppliers, businesses, and customers in a celebration of Qatari-made products, driving strong engagement across its store network."Through targeted in-store promotions and marketing efforts, Al Meera reaffirmed its dedication to offering locally sourced goods while contributing to the development of Qatar’s retail sector," the board said.

Bullish on Qatar’s macroeconomic prospects, Al Mahhar Holding is exploring options on expanding its manufacturing base for the energy sector over the medium term and aims to diversify into renewables.“We are evaluating the feasibility of expanding into in-house manufacturing, assembly, and system integration for specific energy sector products and equipment in Qatar over the medium term,” said Al Mahhar Holding board report, tabled before shareholders at the recent annual general assembly meeting, which approved the 2024 results and dividend.The report highlighted that its commitment to In-Country Value (ICV) is evident through the leadership as a low-voltage switchgear assembler and explosion proof devices manufacturer in Qatar.“We aim to build on this expertise by expanding into higher voltage and control equipment solutions, continuously developing local capabilities in the energy and renewable sectors,” Al Mahhar Holding said.It is also expanding capabilities in digital fields and system integration to further enhance its Qatari credentials, it said, adding additive manufacturing is emerging as a key area in the energy and renewables sectors.“Al Mahhar Holding is positioning itself to capitalise on these advancements by investing in local capabilities in Qatar,” the report said. Seeking to diversify beyond traditional energy markets with a particular focus on renewables, electrification, and water conservation; it said through the adoption of world-class digital solutions, “we aim to improve efficiencies and enhance the competitiveness of our customers.”Specifically, in the renewables sector, it is focusing on developing technologies and solutions to reduce emissions in Qatar, with plans to increase its market share. “Al Mahhar Holding is positioning itself to play a key role in this transition,” it added.“Al Mahhar Holding Company is uniquely positioned to drive sustained growth in the energy industry, with plans to expand into future energy segments and solidify our footprint in the hydrocarbon downstream industries,” said Fahad Hussain Alfardan, its chairman, who presided over the meeting.Highlighting that its goal is to offer a comprehensive range of products and services; the report said it plans to acquire additional agencies, grow customer base, and ensure high-quality service, including maintaining a stock of spare parts and providing staff training.“In parallel with developing more in-house capabilities, we remain open to investing in new joint ventures and collaboration agreements to further local capabilities,” it said.Expecting “significant” potential to expand its product and service offerings in Qatar’s energy sector, Al Mahhar Holding is exploring opportunities across the entire value chain, including upstream, midstream, and downstream.“We believe QatarEnergy’s ongoing localisation programme (Tawteen) is a key catalyst for these opportunities,” it said. On the opportunities for 2025; it said diversification into renewables as solar, wind, and hydrogen can enhance their portfolios to meet changing market demands.Innovations in carbon capture, energy efficiency, and alternative fuels offer growth opportunities for energy and infrastructure companies, it said, adding investments in new infrastructure projects, especially in emerging markets, will boost economic growth and create jobs. Meeting ESG or environment, social and governance criteria will attract investment and drive innovation in sustainable technologies, the report said.In the infrastructure sector, Al Mahhar Holding is focused on enhancing profitability by improving efficiencies and restructuring processes.

Sports tourism remains a vital growth driver with FIFA World Cup 2022 generating an estimated $2.3-4.1bn in tourism spending and broadcasting revenue, contributing $1.6-2.4bn to Qatar’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). “This success has created a positive impact boosting the tourism and hospitality sectors across the region by up to 30%,” PwC said, adding the Middle East region’s sports market is projected to grow at an “impressive” rate of 8.7% over the next three to five years, outpacing the global average of 7.3%.This growth (in the Middle East sports sector) will be fuelled by significant investments in premium sports properties and infrastructure, alongside ambitious initiatives to increase grassroots participation, it said, adding “looking ahead, the region’s sports sector faces both opportunities and challenges as it balances commercial growth with sustainable development.”Qatar continues to leverage its post-World Cup momentum through strategically bidding for, and hosting, major sporting events such as the FIFA Arab Cup in 2025, 2029 and 2033; FIFA U17 World Cup in 2025 through 2029 and the Web Summit for 2024 through 2028, PwC said.Highlighting that Qatar’s successful hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Saudi Arabia’s selection for the 2034 edition demonstrates the region’s capability; the report said the region’s position in global sports investment has strengthened significantly. Sovereign wealth funds, including Middle Eastern funds, now lead 24% of global sports investments, it said, adding Qatar Sports Investments’ $200mn investment in Monumental Sports, which owns clubs and arenas in the US, reflects a growing focus on international portfolio.Finding that the region is pioneering new commercial models, notably in emerging sports sectors; it said Qatar’s investments in Formula 1, the UAE’s development of combat sports, and Saudi Arabia’s Esports initiatives demonstrate the breadth of commercial opportunities being pursued. The Middle Eastern sports consumer is highly digitally engaged, with over-the-top (OTT) services like Shahid VIP and beIN Connect revolutionising how fans consume sports content. Innovations from entities like the Qatar-based SponixTech (immersive replays) and Saudi Arabia-based Fanera (fan experience platforms) underscore the region’s leadership in digital sports transformation.Social media is a key driver of fan engagement, with platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X playing a central role; PwC said penetration rates in the Middle East highlight the widespread use of social platforms, with the UAE at 115%, Saudi Arabia at 96.2% and Qatar at 96.8%.

QTerminals has appointed Charles Meaby as Acting Group chief executive officer, in the place of Neville Bissett.Prior to this, Meaby was Group Business Development and Commercial Officer, then Managing Director of Hamad Port.He brings more than 25 years of global experience from roles at DP World, London Gateway Port Holdings, Hutchison Ports, and Associated British Ports.Bissett, who had been with the terminals company for eight years, led QTerminals through a major internationalisation programme with the winning of a 35-year concession in Ukraine (QTerminals Olvia), a 28-year concession in Türkiye (QTerminals Antalya) and the acquisition of Kramer Group in the Netherlands (now QTerminals Kramer Rotterd

Doha's energy infrastructure will soon get a fillip, when every building turns out to be a clean power plant, supporting the national sustainability goals and enabling Qatar to lead the next wave of energy innovation, according to a top official of a South Korean global leader in AI-driven solutions for zero-energy buildings.In this regard, EnergyX Systems -- a next-generation Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) solution that transforms façades and rooftops into clean energy generators without sacrificing design -- is now in the final stages of incorporation under the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC).“Qatar has the vision, the talent, and the infrastructure to lead the next wave of energy innovation,” EnergyX chief executive officer Sean Park, who has personally relocated to the region earlier this year, told Gulf Times in an exclusive interview.The EnergyX DY-Building is a seven-storey structure (including one-storey underground parking). It was conceived not only as a headquarters (in South Korea), but as a functioning showcase of integrated technologies of EnergyX. From design to operations, the building demonstrates a complete application of optimised, data-driven, AI or artificial intelligence-powered, hardware-integrated solutions.EnergyX, a 'sustainable architecture technology company, not only manufactures and installs BIPVs but also offers AI-driven simulation, software, optimisation, and management of the entire process all the way from architectural design to architectural operations once the building is finished.“The EnergyX DY-Building was the first of its kind. But the next landmark of global energy optimisation may rise right here," he said in reference to its proposed action plans for Qatar."The EnergyX DY-Building is more than a structure — it’s a living model for what tomorrow’s architecture must become: intelligent, autonomous, and regenerative. It challenges developers, city planners, and governments to think beyond sustainability — and aim for profitable energy sovereignty," Park said, forecasting good potential in the region.During the Web Summit Qatar 2025, EnergyX had disclosed its plans to establish a major R&D (research and development) center in Qatar, committing to invest more than $100mn in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) over the next five years."As EnergyX brings its proven technology to the Middle East, Qatar may soon host the next chapter in global energy architecture — a future in which every building is its own clean power plant," he said.The company is scouting for strategic partners and such partnership involves strategic growth for both EnergyX and the countries, Park said, adding it seeks to make meaningful contribution to the ICVs (in-country value).(Ends)

Reflecting buoyancy, notably in the non-hydrocarbons, Qatar’s maritime sector saw higher vessels call, resulting in brisk yearly growth in the movement of RORO (vehicles), livestock and building materials through Mesaieed, Doha and Al Ruwais ports during the first quarter (Q1) of 2025, according to the official data.A total of 726 ships arrived in the three ports during January-March 2025, a 12.21% growth on annualised basis. In March alone, as many as 247 vessel calls were recorded, jumping 6.47% and 8.81% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively, according to figures collated from Mwani Qatar.Hamad Port - Qatar’s main seaport, located south of Doha in the Umm Al Houl area and whose strategic geographical location offers opportunities to create cargo movement towards the upper Gulf - saw as many as 120 vessels call (excluding military) on the port in March 2025.The three ports handled a total of 30,811 RORO during the first three months of this year, registering a 60.47% surge year-on-year. In March alone, as many as 10,371 RORO movements were recorded, showing 73.69% and 36.48% growth on yearly and monthly basis respectively. Hamad Port alone handled as many as 10,298 units in March this year.Qatar’s automobile sector has been witnessing renewed demand, reporting stronger sales, notably in heavy equipment, private motorcycles and private vehicles, according to National Planning Council data .The building materials traffic through the three ports stood at 159,718 tonnes during Q1-2025, which was up 11.78% on an annualised basis. In March alone, the three ports had handled as much as 88,131 tonnes, surging 68.7% and 118.1% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively.The three ports were seen handling 230,625 livestock heads during January-March 2025, which showed a 4.3% growth on an annualised basis. In March this year, the ports handled as many as 97,625 livestock heads, which declined 17.66% on yearly basis but zoomed 31.57% month-on-month. Hamad Port handled as many as 8,000 livestock heads in the review period.The container movement through three ports amounted to 336,889 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) during the first three months of 2025, down 4.17% on a yearly basis. In March alone, as many as 99,410 TEUs of containers were seen handling, which declined 27.36% and 12.17% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively.Hamad Port, the largest eco-friendly project in the region and internationally recognised as one of the largest green ports in the world, had welcomed 133,000 TEU CMA CGM Iron, the first dual-fuel methanol container vessel to visit Qatar.The container terminals have been designed to address the increasing trade volume, enhancing ease of doing business as well as supporting the achievement of economic diversification, which is one of the most important goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030.The general and bulk cargo handled through the three ports stood at 322,206 freight tonnes during Q1-2025, which fell 12.29% on yearly basis. In March alone, the general and bulk cargo handled through three ports was 70,392 freight tonnes, plunging 49.39% and 35.65% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively.Hamad Port – whose multi-use terminal is designed to serve the supply chains for the RORO, grains and livestock – handled as much as 30,116 freight tonnes of breakbulk and 7,000 freight tonnes of bulk in March this year.The container and cargo trends through the ports reflect the positive outlook for the country’s non-oil private sector.In line with the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030, Mwani Qatar continues to implement its ambitious strategy to enhance the maritime sector’s contribution to diversifying the national economy and strengthening the county’s position as a vibrant regionaltrade hub.

Development banks from Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE are expected to fund the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority's (GCCIA) $1.1bn-$1.3bn investment programme for 2025-27, according to Standard & Poor's (S&P), an international credit rating agency.The GCCIA, in which Qatar holds 12% stake, is the interconnector for the GCC countries, ensuring security of electricity supply in the region operating under a framework that allows full costs pass through with no more than one year lag to recover differences between budgeted and actual costs.The GCCIA is currently expanding its network with about $1.1bn-$1.3bn of investments over 2025-27, which will pressure its credit metrics over the same horizon, given all projects are fully debt funded, S&P said in its latest report."This investment programme will be fully debt funded with financing expected to come from the local development banks, including of Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE," the report said, adding this would lead to negative free operating cash flow (FOCF) of about $500mn in 2025 decreasing to be free cash flow neutral from 2027 (2028 should the backbone project to be secured)."As a result, we currently expect net debt to peak at about $800mn-$850mn in 2026-27, decreasing to about $600mn by 2029. Once the backbone expansion project starts, we expect gross debt to grow by an additional $300mn from 2026, amortising over at least 10 years," the rating agency said.However, S&P expects the GCCIA to be able to cover additional debt-servicing related to this project with the additional contribution it should receive from the shareholders.Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) had in February 2025 signed a loan agreement with the GCCIA to finance the expansion of the electricity grid in Oman, as part of efforts to enhance regional cooperation and sustainable development.Stamping "stable" outlook to the GCCIA, S&P said it indicates that the rating agency expects the authority to continue receiving timely support from the GCC states, enabling the company to expand its existing network as planned.Including in its Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) calculations, the contributions from member countries used to service the debt; the report said it consider funds from operations to debt (FFO) and FOCF to debt as the key ratios because they capture the cash flow after interest-servicing and the high capital spending (capex) plans in the future years.Incorporating its expectation that the GCCIA will receive annual fees and contributions from its shareholders to service debt in a timely manner, ensuring smooth operations and deleveraging over the forecast horizon; S&P said "we therefore expect the company's FFO to debt to be above 9% and to improve to 10-22% in 2026-27."