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The Qatar Stock Exchange Tuesday overcame the initial selling pressure to close 26 points higher on buying interests, especially in the transport sector.Notwithstanding concerns over the US-China tariff issue, the 20-stock Qatar Index gained 0.25% to 10,658.83 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,577 points.The Arab individuals were increasingly net buyers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR1.95bn or 0.31% to QR624.73bn on the back of midcap segments.The domestic institutions turned net buyers, albeit at lower levels in the main market, which saw as many as 5,577 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at mere QR0.06mn changed hands across 13 deals.The Arab funds were seen bullish, albeit at lower levels, in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decrease.The Islamic index was seen declining vis-à-vis gains in the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The foreign institutions continued to be net sellers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index gained 0.25% and the All Share Index by 0.25%; while the All Islamic Index was down 0.06% in the main market.The transport sector index shot up 1.87%, banks and financial services (0.29%), insurance (0.24%) and industrials (0.22%); whereas telecom declined 0.72%, consumer goods and services (0.69%) and real estate (0.36%).As much as 49% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse with major gainers being Nakilat, Ezdan, Aamal Company, Doha Bank, Widam Food, QIIB, Qatar Oman Investment, Dukhan Bank and Gulf International Services.Nevertheless, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Qatar National Cement, United Development Company, Ooredoo, Woqod and Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution were among the shakers in the main market.In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.The Arab individual investors’ net buying increased noticeably to QR3.83mn compared to QR0.75mn on February 3.The domestic institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.9mn against net were of QR4.18mn the previous day.The Arab institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR0.05mn compared with net profit takers of QR0.01mn on Monday.The foreign institutions’ net selling declined substantially to QR7.79mn against QR21.63mn on February 3.The Gulf individual investors’ net selling shrank perceptibly to QR0.36mn compared to QR1.27mn the previous day.However, the foreign retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR1.38mn against net buyers of QR2.1mn on Monday.The Gulf institutions were net profit takers to the extent of QR0.26mn compared with net buyers of QR1.46mn on February 3.The local retail investors’ net buying weakened substantially to QR5.03mn against QR22.77mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market fell 9% to 191.33mn shares and value by 2% to QR514.7mn, while deals rose 15% to 18,817.The venture market saw a 54% contraction in trade volumes to 0.12mn equities, 52% in value to QR0.31mn and 56% in transactions to 19.

Ernst and Young (EY) has identified key trends shaping Qatar’s tax landscape, including the newly introduced 15% global minimum corporate tax in Qatar.Nearly 200 C-suite executives and finance professionals from Qatar-based firms across industries, including finance and insurance, energy and construction, attended the recently held Qatar annual corporate tax seminar 2025, which covered all aspects of the taxes that are currently imposed in Qatar from the compliance and investment perspectives.Key topics included Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Pillar 2 and resulting changes to the existing income tax law. In December 2024, General Tax Authority amended select provisions of the Income Tax Law, aiming to uphold tax parity and fairness between local and multinational companies operating in Qatar through the introduction of a 15% global minimum corporate tax rate.The tax is applicable to global multinational firms with foreign branches that generate annual revenues of more than QR3bn.Foreign entities operating in Qatar may now face increased tax liabilities if their effective tax rate falls below the 15% global minimum tax rate, potentially resulting in additional tax payments to meet the minimum threshold.Meanwhile, the new rules may require changes to the tax reporting and compliance processes for foreign firms. This includes recalculating their effective tax rates and potentially restructuring their operations to optimise their tax positions."This year’s EY Qatar annual corporate tax seminar emphasised the importance of proactive compliance strategies in light of the new BEPS Pillar 2 rules. Our experts provided actionable insights on how businesses can prepare for and adapt to these changes, ensuring they remain compliant while optimising their tax positions," said Ahmed Eldessouky, EY Gulf Coast Cluster Tax Leader.Qatar’s dynamic tax landscape offers competitive corporate tax rates, which are lower than in many other countries of the region. The government is proactively working to increase transparency and optimise its tax regime with the aim of stimulating growth and development in line with the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3) under Qatar National Vision 2030."With the implementation of the global minimum tax under BEPS Pillar 2, Qatar is adjusting its tax regulations to align with international standards. Developments in neighbouring countries and the broader Mena region can also influence the country’s tax policies by motivating its government to adopt similar tax measures to remain competitive and attract investment," according to Kevin McManus, EY Qatar International Tax and Transaction Services (ITTS) Partner.EY has identified several key trends shaping Qatar’s tax landscape, including businesses placing greater emphasis on tax compliance and governance to avoid penalties.It also observed a growing trend towards adopting advanced technologies for tax compliance, reporting and data management to enhance efficiency and accuracy.In addition, businesses may restructure their operations to optimise their tax positions and comply with new regulations, such as the global minimum tax and potential economic substance requirements.

The Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) has become a member of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), effective February 2025.This milestone marks a significant step in its journey towards excellence and continuous improvement, QFCRA said in its social media handle X."Joining EFQM aligns with our commitment to adopting best practices in quality management and organisational excellence. We look forward to leveraging the EFQM Model 2025 to enhance our strategic objectives," said Fatma Abdulrahman al-Meer, chief financial officer and chief operating officer, QFCRA.EFQM is a non-profit membership foundation established in 1989 in Brussels, whose model is a management framework that supports organisations in "managing change" and "improving performance".Other members from Qatar include Ashgaal (Public Works Authority), Ministry of Municipality and Qatar Rail, according to EFQM website."By becoming successful partners, we work side by side with leaders as they manage cultural change and transformation to deliver positive performance and meaningful benefits for all their key stakeholders," said Russell Longmuir, chief executive officer, EFQM.The refreshed EFQM Model 2025 focuses on the needs of organisations to create a clear purpose, foster trust, and understand the benefits of long-term sustainability.The strategic nature of the EFQM Model, combined with its focus on operational performance and a results orientation, makes it the ideal framework for testing the coherence and alignment of an organisation’s ambitions for the future, referenced against its current ways of working and its responses to challenges and pain-points.The foundation had set up a team of experts, from industry and academia, to develop the EFQM Excellence Model, a holistic framework that can be applied to any organisation, regardless of size or sector.Since its inception, the EFQM Model has provided a blueprint for organisations across and beyond Europe to develop a culture of improvement and innovation.

Reflecting the concerns on the US' tariffs on Canada and Mexico and its ripple effect on global trade, the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Monday fell below 10,600 levels intraday but reversed some losses even as it would up 67 points lower. Selling pressure, especially in the industrials and transportation counters, led the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.63% to 10,632.34 points, but recovering from an intraday low of 10,582 points. The foreign funds were seen net profit takers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation eroded QR3.37bn or 0.54% to QR622.78bn on the back of mid and small cap segments. The domestic institutions turned bearish in the main market, which saw as many as 6,185 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at mere QR0.02mn changed hands across three deals. The Gulf retail investors were net sellers in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase. The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The Gulf institutions turned bearish, albeit at lower levels, in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds. The Total Return Index shed 0.63%, the All Share Index by 0.54% and the All Islamic Index by 0.33% in the main market. The industrials sector index tanked 2.07%, transport (1.67%), insurance (0.52%) and banks and financial services (0.11%); whereas consumer goods and services gained 1.11% and real estate 1.06%. The telecom index was unchanged. More than 65% of the traded constituents were in the red with major losers being Industries Qatar, Dlala, Qatar Oman Investment, Inma Holding, Qatar German Medical Devices, Lesha Bank, Mekdam Holding, Estithmar Holding, Mazaya Qatar, Nakilat and Milaha. Nevertheless, Zad Holding, Ezdan, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Barwa and AL Meera were among the gainers in the main bourse. In the venture market, both Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares appreciate in value. The foreign institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR21.63mn against net buyers of QR8.65mn on February 2. The domestic institutions were net sellers to the extent of QR4.18mn compared with net buyers of QR11.07mn on Sunday. The Gulf individual investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR1.27mn against net buyers of QR0.59mn the previous day. The Arab institutions were net profit takers to the extent of QR0.01mn compared with no major net exposure on February 2. The Arab individual investors’ net buying weakened perceptibly to QR0.75mn against QR1.69mn on Sunday. However, the local individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR22.77mn compared with net sellers of QR10.83mn the previous day. The foreign retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR2.1mn against net profit takers of QR1.35mn on February 2. The Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.46mn compared with net sellers of QR9.82mn on Sunday. Trade volumes in the main market soared 57% to 210.37mn shares, value by 79% to QR526.43mn and deals by 75% to 16,388. The venture market saw doubled trade volumes to 0.26mn equities and value almost doubled to QR0.65mn on more than tripled transactions to 43.

QatarEnergy LNG’s N4 asset has been awarded by Shell for its exceptional Health, Safety, Security, and Environmental (HSSE) and operational performance in 2024.This prestigious recognition highlights the company's unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards in these critical areas.The award was presented by Shell to QatarEnergy LNG in a ceremony attended by Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa al-Thani, chief executive officer of QatarEnergy LNG, along with senior executives from both companies. This accolade underscores the significant achievements of the N4 facility in Ras Laffan."The achievements of the N4 facility are a testament to the strong leadership and unwavering commitment of the QatarEnergy LNG team. This award highlights the importance of our partnership and our shared goal of achieving excellence in all aspects of our operations," said Cederic Cremers, executive vice-president for Shell’s LNG business.The award was presented to Sheikh Khalid and Ahmad Ashkanani, chief executive officer and onshore operations manager (North) of QatarEnergy LNG, by Cremers and Rob Maxwell, managing director and chairman of Qatar Shell Companies.QatarEnergy LNG continues to set new standards in the liquefied natural gas industry. This recognition from Shell reaffirms QatarEnergy LNG’s dedication to operational excellence and its role as a leader in the global LNG market.

Milaha has reported net profit of QR1.12bn in 2024, an 8.74% jump on an annualised basis.The company's board has suggested 40% cash dividend of the par value, equivalent to QR0.40 per share, representing a payout ratio of 40% of 2024 net profit.Earnings per share were QR0.99 for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to QR0.91 for the same period in 2023.However, operating revenues reported a 3.4% drop year-on-year to QR2.84bn for the year ended December 31, 2024.Milaha Maritime and Logistics’ net profit shot up by QR45mn on a yearly basis, led by stronger performance from its container shipping unit from the deployment of new vessel routes and services.Milaha Gas and Petrochem’s net earnings grew by QR52mn year-on-year, driven by strong results from its associate and joint venture companies.Milaha Offshore’s net profit increased by QR24mn on an annualised basis, driven by enhanced operating margins and strong growth in Qatar’s oil and gas sector.Milaha Capital’s net earnings decreased by QR3mn compared with the same period in 2023, as an impairment charge in real estate unit more than offset higher investment income.Milaha Trading’s bottom line shrank by QR27mn on a yearly basis, mainly on account of declining sales of heavy equipment, bunker and related ancillary services, along with a write-down in the value of associated spare parts.

Qatar's commercial banks had assets valued at QR2.05tn in December 2024, a 3.9% increase on an annualised basis.This was disclosed by the Qatar Central Bank in its social media handle X.Total domestic credit of the commercial banks grew by 4.2% year-on-year to QR1.28tn in December 2024.The commercial banks' total deposits expanded 2.4% on an annualised basis to QR826.7bn in the review period.Broad money supply (M2) was however seen easing by 0.6% year-on-year to QR718.2bn in December 2024.

The domestic institutions’ buying support on Sunday lifted the Qatar Stock Exchange by more than 33 points and its key index towards 10,700 levels.The banking, telecom and industrials counters witnessed higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.31% to 10,699.76 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,670 points.The Arab individuals were seen net buyers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR2.44bn or 0.39% to QR626.15bn on the back of small and microcap segments.The Gulf retail investors were also seen bullish in the main bourse, which saw as many as 0.03mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at mere QR0.07mn changed hands across 11 deals.The domestic funds’ weakened net selling had its influence on the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The foreign institutions continued to be bullish but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index rose 0.31%, the All Share Index by 0.31% and the All Islamic Index by 0.18% in the main market.The banks and financial services sector index grew 0.42%, telecom (0.42%), industrials (0.36%), transport (0.13%), consumer goods and services (0.1) and real estate (0.02%); while insurance declined 0.57%.Major movers in the main market included Qatari Investors Group, QLM, Estithmar Holding, Industries Qatar, Inma Holding, QNB and Ezdan.Nevertheless, about 53% of the traded constituents in the main bourse were in the red with major losers being Qatar Oman Investment, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qamco, Aamal Company, Qatar Insurance and Doha Bank.In the venture market, both Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares depreciate in value.The domestic institutions’ net buying increased noticeably to QR11.07mn compared to QR0.78mn on January 30.The Arab individual investors were net buyers to the tune of QR1.69mn against net profit takers of QR1.53mn last Thursday.The Gulf individuals turned net buyers to the extent of QR0.59mn compared with net sellers of QR1.07mn the previous trading day.The Qatari individual investors’ net selling decreased markedly to QR10.83mn against QR24.26mn on January 30.The foreign retail investors’ net profit booking eased marginally to QR1.35mn compared to QR2.86mn last Thursday.However, the Gulf institutions’ net selling strengthened marginally to QR9.82mn against QR9.21mn the previous trading day.The foreign institutions’ net buying shrank substantially to QR8.65mn compared to QR38.15mn on January 30.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the fourth straight session.Trade volumes in the main market fell 38% to 133.8mn shares, value by 33% to QR293.36mn and deals by 41% to 9,380.The venture market saw more than doubled trade volumes to 0.13mn equities and value more than tripled to QR0.34mn on doubled transactions to 14.

Qatar's maritime sector began 2025 on a solid note with Hamad, Doha and Al Ruwais ports witnessing a robust year-on-year growth in ship arrivals, containers, cargoes, vehicles (RORO) and livestock in January, according to the data of Mwani Qatar.As many as 252 ships had called on Qatar's three ports in January 2025, which was higher by 16.13% year-on-year but was down 3.45% month-on-month.Hamad Port, whose strategic geographical location offers opportunities to create cargo movement towards the upper Gulf, supporting countries such as Kuwait and Iraq and south towards Oman, saw as many as 155 vessels call (excluding military) on the port in the review period.The general and bulk cargo handled through the three ports amounted to 142,420 freight tonnes in January 2025, which zoomed 141.22% and 86.95% on yearly and monthly basis respectively.Hamad Port – whose multi-use terminal is designed to serve the supply chains for the RORO, grains and livestock – handled as much as 88,338 freight tonnes of breakbulk and 30,000 freight tonnes of bulk in January 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 regional trade hub.The three ports were seen handling 58,798 livestock in January 2025, which showed 87.63% and 32.62% surge year-on-year and month-on-month respectively. Hamad Port alone handled as many as 7,000 livestock heads in the review period.The container movement through three ports amounted to 124,293 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), shooting up 20.24% and 2.26% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively in the review period.Hamad Port, the largest eco-friendly project in the region and internationally recognised as one of the largest green ports in the world, alone handled 124,320 TEUs of containers handled this January.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 three ports handled 12,841 RORO in January 2025, which registered 111.69% growth year-on-year but tanked 23.2% on monthly basis. Hamad Port alone handled 12,823 units in January this year.Qatar's automobile sector has been witnessing stronger sales, notably in heavy equipment, private motorcycles and private vehicles, according to the data of the National Planning Council.The building materials traffic through the three ports stood at 31,179 tonnes in January 2025, which plummeted 37.32% on an annualised basis even as it rose 15.23% month-on-month.Hamad Port reached a significant safety milestone as it achieved 5mn man-hours without lost time incidents (LTI) as of January 10, reflecting the safety and wellbeing of employees.

Qatar’s debt dynamics is slated to remain “favourable” in the medium term with government debt-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio expected to fall to 43.4% by 2026, according to Capital Intelligence (CI), an international credit rating agency.According to the rating agency’s estimates, gross central government debt (including short-term treasury bills and bank overdrafts) is expected to have declined to 46.2% of GDP in 2024, from 48.3% in 2023, reflecting nominal GDP growth and a large primary budget surplus.As a share of revenues, government debt increased to 162.5% in 2024, from 147.3% in 2023, reflecting the decline in both hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon revenues.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, according to CI.Earlier another credit rating agency Standard and Poor’s had said Qatar’s average debt-servicing costs are expected to be below 5% of general government revenues by 2027, aided by debt reduction strategies and higher expected earnings related to the North Field Expansion or NFE.Highlighting that in the recent years, Qatar’s authorities have aimed to reduce the level of external debt; S&P had said “we expect this to remain the case, with only partial refinancing of foreign debt coming due.In 2023, the government repaid about QR27bn (about 3.4% of GDP or gross domestic product) of its debt. In 2024, it expects further debt reduction of about 2% of GDP, partially offset by new debt issuance equivalent of $2.5bn (1.2% of GDP) in May 2024.In its latest report, the Institute of International Finance, an US-based economic think-tank, had said the aggregate government debt in the Gulf Co-operation Council is expected to be 25.1% of GDP this year compared to 23.1% the previous year. Highlighting that the government’s contingent liabilities as moderate; CI said the largest implicit contingent liability for the (Qatar) government was the banking sector.Total banking sector assets as a share of GDP were “reasonably” high at 252% in 2024.Although the sector’s asset quality is currently good and capital buffers remain strong, banks are exposed to significant lending concentrations (in real estate). Furthermore, banks’ reliance on foreign funding (particularly non-resident deposits) is still considered a potential source of risk – with non-resident deposits amounting to 24.6% of GDP in November 2024, compared to a peak of 42.9% in 2021.

The US’ tariff policy had an overarching effect on global bourses, including the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), which saw its key index settle marginally higher this week that otherwise saw the Qatar Central Bank maintain status quo on its benchmark rates.The domestic funds’ weakened net selling had its influence as the 20-stock Qatar Index was up mere 0.06% this week which saw Nakilat report net profit of QR1.64bn in 2024.The industrials, banking, telecom, insurance and consumer goods sectors saw higher than average demand in main market this week which saw QIIB’s 2024 net profit at QR1.26bn.As much as 52% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main market this week which saw Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding (MPHC) report net profit of QR718.75mn in 2024.The foreign retail investors were increasingly net profit takers in the main bourse this week which saw Qamco register net profit of QR614.68mn in 2024.The Gulf individuals turned bearish in the main bourse this week which saw a total of 0.06mn AlRayan Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QATR worth QR0.14mn trade across 25 deals. The foreign institutions’ weakened net buying had its influence in the main market this week which saw as many as 0.01mn Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR0.15mn change hands across 15 transactions.The Gulf funds were seen increasingly net sellers in the main bourse this week which saw Vodafone Qatar ring in net profit of QR600.66mn in 2024.The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices in the main market this week, which saw Qatar National Cement report net profit of QR159.83mn in 2024.Market capitalisation was up QR0.27bn or 0.04% to QR623.71bn on the back of microcap segments this week which saw the QSE decide to increase the frequency of index review to four times a year against the present practice of two semi-annual reviews.Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in both the main and junior markets this week which saw no trading of treasury bills.The foreign institutions continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity this week which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index was up 0.06%, the All Share Index by 0.08% and the All Islamic Index by 0.03% this week which saw banks and realty sectors together constitute about 50% of the total trade volumes.The industrials sector index gained 0.63%, banks and financial services (0.3%), telecom (0.24%), insurance (0.2%) and consumer goods and services (0.17%); whereas transport declined 2.89% and real estate (0.12%) this week which saw a Kamco Invest report that found Qatar witness an almost eight-fold jump year-on-year in contracts in the oil sector, leading the total value of contracts awarded in the country reach about $19bn in 2024.Major gainers in the main market included Qatar Oman Investment, Widam Food, Beema, Vodafone Qatar, Dukhan Bank, Commercial Bank, Dlala, Baladna, Industries Qatar, Gulf International Services, Qatari Investors Group and Qamco. In the juniour bourse, Techno Q saw its shares appreciate in value this week.Nevertheless, Qatar National Cement, Masraf Al Rayan, Nakilat, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Ezdan, Lesha Bank, Mekdam Holding, Aamal Company, MPHC, Mazaya Qatar and Milaha were among the losers in the main bourse. In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares appreciate in value this week.The Qatari individuals’ net selling fell substantially to QR75.16mn compared to QR196.61mn the week ended January 23.The Arab retail investors’ net selling shrank significantly to QR6.89mn against QR19.24mn the previous week.However, the Gulf institutions’ net profit booking expanded drastically to QR26.86mn compared to QR5.2mn a week ago.The foreign individual investors’ net selling grew markedly to QR20.21mn against QR7.41mn the week January 23.The Gulf individuals were net sellers to the tune of QR7.55mn compared with net buyers of QR0.01mn the previous week.The foreign institutions’ net buying weakened considerably to QR68.15mn against QR147.41mn a week ago.The domestic funds’ net buying decreased noticeably to QR68.54mn compared to QR81.05mn the week ended January 23.The Arab funds had no major net exposure for the second consecutive week.The main market saw a 17% contraction in trade volumes to 0.85bn shares, 25% in value to QR1.85bn and 19% in deals to 67,845 this week.In the venture market, trade volumes tanked 83% to 0.84mn equities, value by 83% to QR2.15mn and transactions by 64% to 143.

Qatar witnessed an almost eight-fold jump year-on-year in contracts in the oil sector, leading the total value of contracts awarded in the country reach about $19bn in 2024, according to Kamco Invest, a regional economic thinktank.The total value of contracts awarded in Qatar witnessed a moderate increase of 4.5% year-on-year, reaching $18.9bn in 2024, Kamco Invest said, quoting data from MEED Projects."This growth in contract awards was primarily attributed to a significant rise in the value of projects within Qatar’s oil sector, which recorded an almost eight-fold increase to reach $6.3bn in 2024, up from $809mn in 2023," Kamco Invest said.The oil sector accounted for 33.5% of the total contracts awarded in the country during the year. Conversely, Qatar’s gas sector, typically the largest in terms of project value, witnessed a 49.5% year-on-year decline, to $6bn in 2024.Meanwhile, the power sector saw a "substantial" surge, with the total value of contracts awarded increasing 7.5 times to $3.4bn, up from $448mn in 2023. This represented the second largest absolute growth in project value within the country.Qatar also witnessed several major project awards during the year, with two of the largest contracts making into the top 20 projects in the GCC or Gulf Co-operation Council region.These included the $4bn QatarEnergy LNG – North Field Production Sustainability: Phase 2 project and the $2.1bn NOC – Al Shaheen Oil Field Development: Ruya Development: EPC-11.The Ruya Development contract is a subcontract of the significant North Oil Company expansion project at the Al-Shaheen offshore oil field. In this context, Qatar's North Oil Company has awarded $6bn worth of EPC contracts for a project aimed at increasing oil production by approximately 100,000 barrels per day from the Al-Shaheen Oil Field.The total value of contracts awarded in the GCC reached a new record in 2024 at $273.2bn, a 9.6% increase on an annualised basis. Growth in GCC contract awards was broad-based in 2024, with three of the six GCC countries experiencing at least double-digit year-on-year growth in the total value of contracts awarded, while four out of the six countries saw increases in the value of projects awarded.Highlighting “strong” outlook for the GCC project market for 2025; it said following a record-breaking year for project market awards, the region is poised for another year of “significant” contract awards.The outlook for 2025 remains "bright" for the GCC projects market with more than $120bn worth of projects already in the bid evaluation stage, that would mostly translate into awards, according to MEED ProjectsFinding a lot of positive factors in the GCC to support the project market in 2025; Kamco said these include a thriving economic activity, government’s resolve to execute projects before the deadlines, a supportive and strong banking sector, expected fall in interest rates, stability in regional geopolitical scenario, elevated oil prices and supportive government policies for private sector participation.Overall, there are approximately $1.5tn worth of contracts in the pre-execution stage within the GCC, with Saudi Arabia holding the majority, it said, adding some of these contracts are expected to be awarded over the next 6-12 months, suggesting that 2025 could match or exceed the contract award figures of 2024, according to analysis by MEED Projects.The largest proportion of these projects, approximately 35.3%, is in the design stage, while around 8% are in the bid evaluation stage.In terms of country-specific project pipelines, Saudi Arabia has an estimated $770.5bn of projects in the pre-execution stage, followed by the UAE ($322.5bn), Oman ($165bn) and Kuwait ($121.1bn), respectively.

Ahead of the US Federal Reserve meeting, the Qatar Stock Exchange on Wednesday gained more than six points on buying interests especially in the real estate, industrials, banks and consumer goods sectors.The foreign institutions were seen net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.06% to 10,680.78 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,627 points.As much as 51% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation was up QR0.39bn or 0.06% to QR623.81bn on the back of microcap segments.The foreign individuals’ weakened net selling had its influence in the main bourse, which saw as many as 0.01mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at mere QR0.03mn changed hands across eight deals.The domestic institutions continued to be bullish but with lesser vigour in the main bourse, whose trade turnover fell amidst higher volumes.The Islamic index was seen outperforming the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Gulf institutions turned net profit takers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index was up 0.06%, the All Share Index by 0.08% and the All Islamic Index by 0.16% in the main market.The realty sector index gained 0.54%, industrials (0.43%), banks and financial services (0.31%) and consumer goods and services (0.23%); while transport declined 2.02%, telecom (0.52%) and insurance (0.05%).Major gainers in the main bourse included Widam Food, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Doha Bank, Estithmar Holding, Inma Holding, Dukhan Bank, Salam International Investment, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Industries Qatar and Mazaya Qatar.Nevertheless, Nakilat, Milaha, Ezdan, Ooredoo and Doha Insurance were among the shakers in the main market. In the juniour bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.The foreign institutions were net buyers to the tune of QR26.51mn compared with net sellers of QR6.84mn on January 28.The foreign individual investors’ net profit booking fell noticeably to QR3.76mn against QR7.01mn the previous day.However, the Qatari individuals’ net selling increased substantially to QR13.52mn compared to QR6.07mn on Tuesday.The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the extent of QR8.76mn against net buyers of QR2.93mn on January 28.The Arab individual investors’ net selling expanded markedly to QR7.08mn compared to QR4.41mn the previous day.The Gulf retail investors were net profit takers to the extent of QR0.11mn against net buyers of QR0.96mn on Tuesday.The domestic institutions’ net buying decreased significantly to QR6.73mn compared to QR20.44mn on January 28.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the second straight session.Trade volumes in the main market grew 3% to 171.32mn shares, while value shrank 13% to QR321.94mn and deals by 9% to 12,696.The venture market saw 67% plunge in trade volumes to 0.08mn equities, 67% in value to QR0.2mn and 52% in transactions to 16.(Ends)

The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) has reported "exceptional" growth with combined assets under management of more than $33bn in 2024 as total number of registered firms stood at 2,489.The firms registered in 2024 represent 90 countries, with the largest number of firms coming from the UK, India, the US, Jordan, Turkiye, France, Lebanon, and Qatar. These firms span a wide range of activities and industries, including fintech, consulting services, media, IT, and wealth management."The exceptional growth witnessed by the QFC in 2024 reflects our commitment to provide a developed and attractive business environment for local and international companies," said QFC Authority chief executive officer Yousuf Mohamed al-Jaida.These achievements would not have been possible without the concerted efforts of all business units, along with close cooperation with clients, key stakeholders in Qatar and the strategic local and global partners, according to him."Over the past year, we have continued to enhance innovation and support economic growth and diversification in Qatar, and we aim to achieve more successes in the coming years," al-Jaida said.The active participation of QFC in the first edition of the Web Summit Qatar in February 2024 was instrumental in attracting a substantial number of technology firms to its platform, which accounted for the largest share of firms registered in 2024 at 26%.The QFC offered compelling incentives to companies that opted to register their business during the Web Summit, attracting foreign investments, contributing to economic diversification, and advancing the country's efforts in positioning Qatar as a leading technology hub in the region.The year also saw significant progress in one of QFC’s forward-thinking initiatives, the Digital Assets Lab, which commenced activities with 29 participants, developing unique digital solutions and services based on distributed ledger technology (DLT).To support the programme, QFC issued the Digital Assets Framework to regulate digital assets, which includes comprehensive and clear legal guidelines for digital assets creation and regulation, including processes related to tokenisation, legal recognition of ownership rights of encryptions and underlying assets, custody arrangements, and transfer and exchange transactions.These initiatives align with the Qatar Fintech Strategy and reinforce the country’s position as a regional leader in financial innovation.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani's visit to Oman appears to have lifted sentiments in the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) as one of its listed entities Qatar Oman Investment Company (QOIS) on Tuesday remained the highest gainer for the second straight session.The domestic and Gulf institutions’ buying interests led the 20-stock Qatar Index to gain more than seven points or 0.07% to 10,673.99 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,662 points.The transport, telecom, industrials and consumer goods witnessed higher than average demand in the main bourse, whose capitalisation was down QR0.62bn or 0.1% to QR623.42bn on the back of microcap segments.The Gulf individuals were seen net buyers, albeit at lower levels, in the main bourse, which saw as many as 0.01mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at mere QR0.04mn changed hands across 11 deals.The local retail investors’ weakened net selling had its influence on the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The Islamic index was seen gaining faster than the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The foreign individuals’ lower net profit booking also had its say in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index was up 0.07%, the All Share Index by 0.03% and the All Islamic Index by 0.12% in the main market.The transport sector index gained 0.94%, telecom (0.57%), industrials (0.41%) and consumer goods and services (0.23%); while real estate declined 0.48%, banks and financial services (0.32%) and insurance (0.11%).Major gainers in the main bourse included Qatar Oman Investment, Widam Food, Qatar German Medical Devices, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Industries Qatar and Beema.In the venture market, Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.Nevertheless, 58% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market with major losers being Ezdan, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Mekdam Holding, Dukhan Bank, QLM, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding and Nakilat.In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.The domestic institutions’ net buying increased noticeably to QR20.44mn compared to QR15.78mn on January 27.The Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR2.93mn against net profit takers of QR4.89mn the previous day.The Gulf individual investors turned net buyers to the extent of QR0.96mn compared with net sellers of QR0.2mn on Monday.The Qatari retail investors’ net selling declined substantially to QR6.07mn against QR27.63mn on January 27.The foreign individuals’ net profit booking eased marginally to QR7.01mn compared to QR7.18mn the previous day.However, the foreign institutions were net sellers to the tune of QR6.84mn against net buyers of QR25.33mn on Monday.The Arab individual investors’ net selling expanded markedly to QR4.41mn compared to QR1.23mn on January 27The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net buyers to the extent of QR0.05mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market grew 14% to 165.6mn shares and value by 5% to QR370.65mn, while deals fell 4% to 13,907.The venture market saw an 85% surge in trade volumes to 0.24mn equities, 85% in value to QR0.61mn and 32% in transactions to 33.

Notwithstanding the global concerns regarding the US’ tariff policy, the Qatar Stock Exchange on Monday gained more than 16 points on buying interests especially at the telecom and banking counters.The foreign funds turned bullish as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.15% to 10,666.88 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,618 points.As much as 51% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation was up QR0.4bn or 0.06% to QR624.04bn on the back of microcap segments.The Arab institutions were seen net buyers, albeit at lower levels, in the main market, which saw as many as 9,691 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at mere QR0.06mn changed hands across seven deals.The Gulf institutions’ weakened net selling had its influence on the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The Islamic index was seen declining vis-à-vis gains in the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The domestic institutions continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index rose 0.15% and the All Share Index by 0.11%, while the All Islamic Index was down 0.02% in the main market.The telecom sector index gained 0.73%, banks and financial services (0.51%) and transport (0.09%); while industrials declined 0.73%, real estate (0.64%), insurance (0.32%) and consumer goods and services (0.12%).Major gainers in the main bourse included Qatar Oman Investment, Beema, Commercial Bank, Dukhan Bank, Doha Bank, Ooredoo, Vodafone Qatar and Nakilat.Nevertheless, Qatar National Cement, Industries Qatar, Estithmar Holding, Mazaya Qatar, Milaha, Qatar Islamic Insurance and Qatari Investors Group were among the losers in the main market. In the junior bourse, Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares depreciate in value.The foreign institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR25.33mn compared with net sellers of QR15mn on January 24.The Arab institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR0.05mn against no major net exposure the previous day.The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking declined noticeably to QR4.89mn compared to QR6.92mn on Sunday.The Gulf individual investors’ net selling weakened markedly to QR0.2mn against QR7.14mn on January 24.However, the Qatari retail investors’ net selling expanded drastically to QR27.63mn compared to QR3.68mn the previous day.The foreign individual investors were net sellers to the extent of QR7.18mn against net buyers of QR0.58mn on Sunday.The Arab retail investors turned net sellers to the extent of QR1.23mn compared with net buyers of QR7.35mn on January 26.The domestic institutions’ net buying decreased perceptibly to QR15.78mn against QR24.8mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market shrank 2% to 145.21mn shares, value by 2% to QR353.88mn and deals by 22% to 14,496.The venture market saw a 63% contraction in trade volumes to 0.13mn equities, 64% in value to QR0.33mn and 60% in transactions to 25.

Robust corporate earnings was seen masking uncertainties over the US tariff policies as the Qatar Stock Exchange saw its key index amass as much as 188 points and capitalisation add more than QR10bn this week.The foreign institutions were seen bullish as the 20-stock Qatar Index gained 1.8% this week which saw Commercial Bank and AlRayan Bank report net profit of QR3.03bn and QR1.51bn respectively in 2024.The telecom, real estate, insurance, industrials, transport and consumer goods sectors witnessed higher than average demand this week which saw Woqod post net profit of QR1.05bn in 2024.About 83% of the trade constituents extended gains to investors in the main market this week which saw Doha Bank’s 2024 net profit at QR851.46mn.The Gulf retail investors were seen net buyers, albeit at lower levels, in the main bourse this week which saw Gulf Warehousing report net profit of QR171.89mn in 2024.However, the Qatari individuals were increasingly net sellers in the main bourse this week which saw a total of 0.22mn AlRayan Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QATR worth QR0.49mn trade across 49 deals.The Arab retail investors were increasingly bearish in the main market this week which saw as many as 0.01mn Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR0.09mn change hands across nine transactions.The foreign individuals turned net profit takers in the main bourse this week which saw Al Mahhar Holding receive no-objection from the Qatar Financial Market Authority to shift to the main market from the juniour bourse.The Islamic index was seen outperforming the other indices of the main market this week, which saw Meeza disclose its intent to expand its data centre capacity by 4MW.Market capitalisation was seen adding QR10.37bn or 1.69% to QR623.44bn on the back of large and midcap segments this week which saw Estithmar Holding, through its subsidiary Elegancia Health Care L.I.B.Q. Services, sign pact with Libya’s Department of Support and Development Medical Services to assist in the operational mechanisms, training, and development of several public hospitals across that country.Trade turnover and volumes were on the increase in the main market as well as junior bourse this week which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Gulf institutions turned net sellers this week which saw as many as 0.11mn sovereign bonds valued at QR1.06bn change hands across three transactions. The Total Return Index rose 1.8%, the All Share Index by 1.53% and the All Islamic Index by 2.6% this week which saw industrials and realty sector together constitute more than 51% of the total trade volumes.The telecom sector index zoomed 5.93%, real estate (4.53%), insurance (3.43%), industrials (2.85%), transport (2.39%) and consumer goods and services (2.22%); while banks and financial services was down 0.02%.Major gainers in the main market included Industries Qatar, Ooredoo, Ezdan, Qamco, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Vodafone Qatar, Alijarah Holding, Nakilat, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Commercial Bank, Lesha Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Baladna, Salam International Investment, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Barwa and Mazaya Qatar.Nevertheless, Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution, Estithmar Holding, Gulf Warehousing, Beema, Dukhan Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank and QNB were among the losers in the main bourse.In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.The foreign funds were net buyers to the tune of QR147.41mn against net sellers of QR82.29mn the week ended January 16.The Gulf individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR0.01mn compared with net profit takers of QR3.69mn the previous week.However, the Qatari individuals’ net selling increased substantially to QR196.61mn against QR16.96mn a week ago.The Arab retail investors’ net selling expanded significantly to QR19.24mn compared to QR6.74mn the week ended January 16.The foreign individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR7.41mn against net buyers of QR3.53mn the previous week.The Gulf institutions were net profit takers to the extent of QR5.2mn compared with net buyers of QR13.42mn a week ago.The domestic institutions’ net buying decreased noticeably to QR81.05mn against QR92.04mn the week ended January 16.The Arab funds had no major net exposure compared with net buyers to the extent of QR0.68mn the previous week.The main market saw 53% jump in trade volumes to 1.03bn shares, 30% in value to QR2.46bn and 16% in deals to 83,827 this week.In the venture market, trade volumes more than doubled to 4.95mn equities and value almost tripled to QR12.62mn on more than doubled transactions to 397.

Qatar’s medium-term prospects look "favourable" and its growth will be driven by stronger liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and associated downstream sector, according to the Institute of International Finance (IIF)."Overall, Qatar’s medium-term prospects look favourable," the US-based economic thinktank said in a research note after its economists' online investor trip to the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) last month.The increased LNG production, along with a strong fiscal and external position, would allow for strong capital accumulation and investment by its SWF or sovereign wealth fund (Qatar Investment Authority or QIA,) it noted.Non-hydrocarbon growth would also benefit from increasing LNG production, particularly downstream sectors such as petrochemical and fertiliser plants, according to the IIF."Qatar is seeking to cement its position as the world’s second-largest gas exporter and the largest exporter of LNG given its massive reserves and surging global demand," it said.Finding that massive investment in the natural gas sector is underway to expand LNG production; the report said the attendees (in the online meeting) were of the view that Qatar has a global competitive advantage on LNG production and it should be utilised.Qatar is currently the third largest exporter of LNG (behind the US and Australia), but it is the country with the lowest cost of production, with a cost of production that is nearly 70% cheaper than the closest competitor (the US), the IIF note said."This global competitive cost advantage not only allows flexibility and resilience to Qatar amidst geopolitical uncertainty; it also allows it to heavily benefit from the energy transition," it said.Highlighting that natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, and is considered a “transition” fuel; it said Qatar’s low cost of production will enable the country to supply an increase in demand from Asia as it transitions to cleaner sources of energy."It will also mean that Qatari LNG will be the last to be impacted once greener sources of energy become more scalable and affordable," it said, adding Qatar’s strategic location allows it to supply LNG to two large markets: Europe and Asia.Finding that Qatar could achieve consistently strong growth until at least 2030; the report said growth will come from both the hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon sectors.In the lead-up to the 2022 World Cup (from around 2012-22) GDP growth was primarily led by non-hydrocarbon sector, as the country invested heavily on infrastructure.At the same time, hydrocarbon production, while strong, remained relatively flat during this period. In 2017, Qatar lifted a moratorium on further development of the North Field, a massive offshore natural-gas field that holds the majority of the country’s natural gas reserves.The North Field Expansion project is split into three phases and aims to increase total LNG production by 85% by 2030, from 77mn metric tonnes per annum (Mtpa) in 2023 to 142Mtpa by 2030.