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Qatar witnessed a strong double-digit growth in shipments to India and the UAE as its trade surplus expanded to QR20.13bn in July 2024, according to the official estimates.The country's merchandise trade surplus was seen growing 2.5% and 2.9% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively in the review period, according to the National Planning Council (NPC) data.Total exports (valued free on board) totalled QR30.21bn, while total imports (cost, insurance and freight) amounted to QR10.08bn in July 2024.The country's total exports of domestic goods amounted to QR28.74bn, which shot up 2.8% and 1.5% on yearly and monthly basis respectively in July 2024.In July 2024, Qatar's shipments to China amounted to QR5.92bn or 19.6% of the total exports of the country, followed by South Korea QR3.8bn (12.6%), India QR3.68bn (12.2%), Japan QR2.08bn (6.9%) and the UAE QR1.86n (6.1%).Qatar's exports to India shot up 31.63% on an annualised basis in July 2024, the UAE by 14.84% and Japan by 2.56%; whereas those to South Korea and China declined 8.22% and 1.68% respectively.On a monthly basis, the country's exports to China zoomed 61.7% and India by 11.77%; while those to South Korea fell 21.8%, the UAE by 8.25% and Japan by 5.91% in the review period.The country’s exports of petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons soared 3.7% year-on-year to QR17.62bn and other commodities by 26.3% to QR3.55bn; even as those of crude declined by 8.3% to QR4.92bn and non-crude by 5.2% to QR2.65bn in July 2024.On a monthly basis, the exports of non-crude and other commodities soared 13% and 25.3%; while those of petroleum gases fell 1.4% and crude by 2.9% in the review period.Petroleum gases accounted for 61.31% of the total exports compared to 60.77% a year-ago period, crude 17.12% (19.17%), non-crude 9.22% (9.98%) and others 12.35% (10.05%).The country’s re-exports were valued at QR1.47bn, which registered 31% and 25.3% growth year-on-year and month-on-month respectively in the review period.Qatar's total imports showed a 6.8% and 1.8% increase on yearly and monthly basis respectively in July 2024.The country's imports from China amounted to QR1.49bn or 14.8% of the total; followed by the US QR1.45bn (14.3%), Japan QR0.66bn (6.5%), the UAE QR0.65bn (6.4%) and India by QR0.59bn (5.9%) in the review period.On a yearly basis, Qatar's imports from the UAE surged 213.11%, Japan by 148.12%, India by 15.2% and the US by 6.87%, while those from China declined 5.52% in the review period.On a monthly basis, the country's imports from Japan expanded 41.63%, India by 27.92%, the UAE by 19.22% and the US by 9.38%; whereas those from China shrank 8.43% in July 2024.In July 2024, “Turbojets, Turbo-propellers & Other Gas Turbines; Parts Thereof” was at the top of the imported group of commodities and valued at QR0.6bn, showing a decrease of 31.4% year-on-year.In second place was "Parts of aircraft and spacecraft" with a value of QR0.27bn, showing an annual decline of 41.9% in July 2024.The “Medicaments Mixed or not, In Dosage Etc. Form” group imports were valued at QR0.26bn, which increased 34.4% on an annualised basis in July 2024.(Ends)

Rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continued to have its influence in the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), which on wednesday fell more than 51 points and capitalisation erode QR3.48bn.The banks and industrials counters witnessed higher than average net profit booking as the 20-stock Qatar Index declined 0.51% to 10,136.99 points, but recovered from an intraday low of 10,081 points.The foreign institutions were seen increasingly bearish in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened further to 6.4%.The Gulf institutions turned bearish in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted 0.59% to QR587.39bn on the back of midcap segments.The Arab funds were seen net profit takers in the main market, which saw 4,811 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.01mn trade across three deals.The foreign retail investors’ lower net buying had its influence in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.However, the domestic funds were seen increasingly into net buying in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Islamic index was also seen declining in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The Total Return Index shed 0.51%, the All Share Index by 0.55% and the All Islamic Index by 0.51% in the main market.The banks and financial services sector index declined 0.8%, industrials (0.53%), insurance (0.44%), real estate (0.19%), telecom (0.13%) and transport (0.06%); while consumer goods and services sector treaded a flat path.As much as 70% of the traded constituents in the main bourse were in the red with major losers being QLM, Lesha Bank, Medicare Group, Masraf Al Rayan, Mazaya Qatar, QIIB, Doha Bank, Mannai Corporation, Industries Qatar, Aamal Company, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Estithmar Holding and Ezdan.Nevertheless, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Beema, Woqod, Meeza and Widam Food were among the gainers in the main market. In the junior bourse, both Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares appreciate in value.The foreign institutions’ net selling increased substantially to QR53.97mn compared to QR11.73mn on August 27.The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR1.08mn again net buyers of QR5.11mn the previous day.The Arab institutions were net profit takers to the extent of QR0.09mn compared with no major net exposure on Monday.The Arab individual investors’ net buying declined noticeably to QR4mn against QR8.73mn on August 27.The foreign individuals’ net buying weakened marginally to QR2.19mn compared to QR2.58mn the previous day.However, the domestic funds’ net buying strengthened substantially to QR29.64mn against QR4.43mn on Monday.The Qatari individuals turned net buyers to the extent of QR17.16mn compared with net buyers of QR9.34mn on August 27.The Gulf retail investors’ net buying expanded perceptibly to QR2.13mn against QR0.23mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market were up 1% to 181.36mn shares, value by 13% to QR431.52mn and transactions by less than 1% to 15,864.The venture market saw 62% plunge in trade volumes to 0.55mn equities, 63% in value to QR1.24mn and 34% in deals to 83.

Rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East had cast a shadow over positive influence of the US rate cut hopes that the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Tuesday settled 34 points lower, even as movers outnumbered shakers.The foreign institutions were seen net profit takers as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.33% to 10,188.57 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,229 points.The industry and transport counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 5.93%.The local retail investors continued to be net sellers but with lower intensity in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR1.47bn or 0.25% to QR590.87bn on the back of mid and small cap segments.The Arab individuals turned bullish in the main market, which saw 0.05mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.12mn trade across 10 deals.The Gulf institutions were seen net buyers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The domestic funds turned net buyers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the other indices in the main bourse, whose trade turnover grew amidst lower volumes.The Total Return Index shed 0.33%, the All Share Index by 0.25% and the All Islamic Index by 0.04% in the main market.The industrials sector index shrank 0.67%, transport (0.36%), banks and financial services (0.33%) and consumer goods and services (0.04%); while real estate gained 1.11%, telecom (0.75%) and insurance (0.52%).Major losers in the main market included Al Faleh Educational Holding, Mazaya Qatar, Gulf International Services, Qatar Electricity and Water, Industries Qatar and Nakilat. In the junior bourse, Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, more than 53% of the traded constituents extended gains with major movers being Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, QLM, Lesha Bank, Widam Food, Qatar German Medical Devices, Qamco, Al Khaleej Takaful, Barwa, United Development Company and Gulf Warehousing.The foreign institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR11.73mn compared with net buyers of QR48.92mn on August 26.However, the Arab retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR8.73mn against net sellers of QR1.96mn on Monday.The Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR5.11mn compared with net sellers of QR7.94mn the previous day.The domestic funds were net buyers to the extent of QR4.43mn against net profit takers of QR2.93mn on August 26.The foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR2.58mn compared with net sellers of QR4.03mn on Monday.The Gulf retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR0.23mn against net profit takers of QR1.63mn the previous day.The Qatari individual investors’ net buying weakened substantially to QR9.34mn compared to QR30.42mn on August 26.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the fifth straight session.Trade volumes in the main market were down 3% to 179.09mn shares, while value rose 6% to QR382.73mn and transactions by 5% to 15,814.The venture market saw 37% surge in trade volumes to 1.47mn equities and 32% in value to QR3.31mn but on 7% contraction in deals to 126.

The central bank governors in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) will meet next month, as part of efforts to formulate effective strategies that enhance financial and economic stability in the region.The meet seeks to achieve a “qualitative shift” in the financial sector, which is witnessing fundamental transformations as a result of the growth of modern technology and artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications in financial services.As a prelude to the 83rd central bankers' meeting, the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) on Monday hosted the first meeting of preparatory committee of the GCC central bank governors meeting.The preparatory meeting was chaired by Hamad Ahmed al-Mulla, QCB Assistant Governor for Supervision Sector, who stressed on the importance of enhancing co-operation based on the directives of the GCC central bank governors and their recommendations on the necessity of ensuring the stability of financial markets and achieving common economic goals, in light of their emphasis on the importance of exchanging experiences and developing effective policies in order to build strong and flexible financial systems.The first meeting of the preparatory committee comes at a time characterised by the acceleration of challenges and the emergence of emerging opportunities, which necessitates keeping pace with these developments, he said, adding the outcome of which would form a roadmap, which includes the most prominent topics that will be raised during the meeting of Gulf central bank governors.Khalid bin Ali bin Salim al-Sunaidi, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Development Affairs at the GCC Secretariat said the challenges arising from global economic crises require taking all necessary measures to address and mitigate their repercussions.The (preparatory) committee plays a significant role in achieving greater economic integration among the GCC countries, particularly in the monetary and banking sectors, he said, highlighting the strength factors of the Gulf countries that could be leveraged for economic diversification and technological advancement.He said the GCC economies are expected to grow by 3.6% this year and 3.7% in 2025, surpassing major global economies, with global reports suggesting that non-oil sectors will lead economic growth in the GCC countries.The establishment of the preparatory committee was approved on the sidelines of the 82nd meeting of the GCC central bank governors, which was hosted by Qatar last March, in its capacity as the current presidency of the GCC meetings.

Rate cut hopes in the US had its reflection in the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), which monday saw its key index surge more than 117 points and capitalisation add more than QR7bn. The foreign institutions were seen bullish as the 20-stock Qatar Index shot up 1.16% to 10,222.81 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,110 points, also factoring the surge in oil prices on account of rising Middle East tensions. An across the board buying -- particularly in the banks, insurance and transport counters -- lifted the sentiments in the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated to 5.61%. More than 90% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR7.31bn or 1.25% to QR592.34bn on the back of large and midcap segments. However, local retail investors were net sellers in the main market, which saw 3,660 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR9,431 trade across four deals. The Gulf institutions were seen net profit takers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The foreign individuals turned bearish in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds. The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase. The Total Return Index zoomed 1.16%, the All Share Index by 1.21% and the All Islamic Index by 0.91% in the main market. The banks and financial services sector index soared 1.52%, insurance (1.22%), transport (1.21%), real estate (1.15%), industrials (0.87%), consumer goods and services (0.65%) and telecom (0.5%). Major gainers in the main market included QLM, Mazaya Qatar, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Alijarah Holding, Salam International Investment, QNB, Masraf Al Rayan, Lesha Bank, Dlala, Gulf International Services, Ezdan, Barwa and Nakilat. Nevertheless, Mekdam, Medicare Group and Ahlibank Qatar were among the shakers in the main bourse. In the venture market, Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares depreciate in value. The foreign institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR48.92mn compared with net sellers of QR10.21mn on August 25. However, the Qatari individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR30.42mn against net buyers of QR6.22mn the previous day. The Gulf institutions turned net profit takers to the tune of QR7.94mn compared with net buyers of QR1.45mn on Sunday. The foreign individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR4.03mn against net buyers of QR1.27mn on August 25. The domestic funds turned net profit takers to the tune of QR2.93mn compared with net buyers of QR0.02mn the previous day. The Arab retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR1.96mn against net buyers of QR1.11mn on Sunday. The Gulf individuals turned net profit takers to the tune of QR1.63mn compared with net buyers of QR0.15mn on August 25. The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the fourth straight session. Trade volumes in the main market zoomed 43% to 183.87mn shares, value by 47% to QR362.03mn and transactions by 55% to 15,118. The venture market saw 61% plunge in trade volumes to 1.07mn equities, 60% in value to QR2.5mn and 45% in deals to 135.

QTerminals has installed a 3,300Wp (watt-peak) photovoltaic (PV) system at the ambulance parking bays in Hamad Port’s Container Terminal 1 (CT1) and General Cargo Terminal (GCT).This comes as part of its strategy to reduce CO2 or carbon dioxide emissions in its operations.The panels at both locations can produce 9,010kWh, with 6,350kg of greenhouse gas emissions avoided annually. The generated power is used to light the parking bays and safety information boards.The move is also seen as a reflection of Qatar’s abundant solar energy potential. The competitive costs of renewable technologies make the adoption of renewable energy technologies in Qatar and the region more attractive due to the decreased levelised cost of electricity production.The cost of PV solar energy has dropped significantly from around 4 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2017 to about 1.5 cents in 2023, with expectations to decrease to around 1 cent per kilowatt-hour by 2030, Director of Production Planning and Business Development at Kahramaa Abdul Rahman Ibrahim al-Baker, had said earlier.Hamad Port has added a range of environmentally friendly equipment designed to reduce CO2 emissions and enhance operational efficiency.QTerminals was established in 2016 as a joint venture between the Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani Qatar) and Milaha.QTerminals recently became the first company in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region and third in Asia to have complied with the standards and recommendations of the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) within the maritime transport sector (ports and services).QTerminals received the SBTi accreditation for commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its direct and indirect operations (Scopes 1 & 2) by 46.6% by 2030.This commitment aligns with the Qatar National Vision 2030's environmental development pillar, which focuses on preserving and protecting the environment, including air, land, marine, as well as biodiversity.

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Sunday witnessed a higher than average selling, notably in the transport, insurance and telecom counters, as it overall settled 17 points lower despite movers outnumber shakers. The foreign institutions were seen net profit takers as the 20-stock Qatar Index decline more than 17 points to 10,105.33 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,132 points. The domestic institutions’ weakened net buying had its influence in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 6.7%. However, the local retail investors were seen bullish in the main bourse, whose capitalisation was down QR0.15bn or 0.03% to QR585.03bn on the back of microcap segments. The Gulf funds turned net buyers in the main market, which saw 10 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Doha Bank) valued at QR97 trade across one deal. The foreign retail investors were increasingly net buyers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The Arab individuals turned bullish in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds. The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the other indices in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline. The Total Return Index was down 0.17%, the All Share Index by 0.1% and the All Islamic Index by 0.14% in the main market. The transport sector index declined 0.53%, insurance (0.38%), telecom (0.28%), consumer goods and services (0.18%) and banks and financial services (0.14%); while industrials gained 0.25% and real estate 0.12%. Major shakers included Qatar Insurance, Nakilat, Commercial Bank, Mannai Corporation, Qatar National Cement, Meeza, Qatar Islamic Bank and QIIB. Nevertheless, as much as 55% of the traded constituents extended gains in the main bourse with movers being Al Faleh Educational Holding, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, QLM, Mekdam Holding, Medicare Group, Qatar Electricity and Water, Aamal Company, Mazaya Qatar, Gulf International Services, Gulf Warehousing and Vodafone Qatar. 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 QR10.21mn compared with net buyers of QR15.44mn on August 22. The domestic institutions’ net buying decreased markedly to QR0.02mn against QR4.27mn the previous trading day. However, the Qatari individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR6.22mn compared with net sellers of QR11.44mn last Thursday. The Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.45mn against net profit takers of QR7.07mn on August 22. The foreign individuals’ net buying increased marginally to QR1.27mn compared to QR1.21mn the previous trading day. The Arab retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR1.11mn against net profit takers of QR1.6mn last Thursday. The Gulf individual investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.15mn compared with net sellers of QR0.8mn on August 22. The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the third straight session. Trade volumes in the main market fell about 1% to 128.95mn shares, value by 22% to QR245.72mn and transactions by 18% to 9,732. In the venture market, trade volumes more than doubled to 2.73mn equities and value also more than doubled to QR6.29mn on 56% surge in deals to 246.

Leasing trends have created a two-tiered office market in Qatar where demand is focused on an ever-decreasing Grade-A space, while older stock is lying vacant for extended periods with limited new demand, according to Cushman and Wakefield Qatar (CWQ)."Pipeline supply is dominated by Lusail Towers, with three of the four landmark buildings allocated to QNB, the Qatar Investment Authority and the Qatar Central Bank. It is yet unclear as to how much, if any of this office space will be released to the wider market," CWQ said in a report.With occupancy rates climbing across Grade A locations, it said upward pressure on rents is starting to re-emerge for the first time since 2015.While the majority of Grade A office space in West Bay and Lusail can be leased for between QR100 and QR130 per sq m per month, exclusive of service charges, a select number of higher-specification buildings are looking to increase rents for vacant space, the report said, adding in secondary areas, office spaces leased as ‘shell and core’ can be secured for QR50-60 per sq m per month.Office leasing activity remains dominated by government demand, particularly in prime office districts. CWQ estimate that about 120,000sq m of gross leasable office space has been leased or placed under offer in the in the first half of the year, with take-up mainly split between Msheireb Downtown and West Bay.The most significant transaction in the second quarter (Q2) was the lease agreed by the government for the World Trade Centre Tower on the Corniche, which was vacated by QatarEnergy in 2022. This building provides approximately 58,000sq m of Grade A office accommodation."We estimate that available office space in West Bay has fallen to approximately 160,000sq m, reducing the vacancy rate in the district to less than 10%," it said.Elsewhere take-up in Msheireb Downtown has seen availability fall to less than 5%, while there has also been leasing activity in Lusail’s various districts, CWQ said, adding overall availability in prime office district has now reduced to less than 15%, which contrasts to the secondary market across central and south Doha, where vacancy rates are significantly higher.A significant amount of the take-up in prime office districts relates to the expansion and relocation of government departments from older buildings across Doha. "This is expected to lead to further increasing vacancies in secondary districts at the expiry of existing leases," according to the report.

Amidst expectations of the US rate reduction, the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) closed this week on a weaker note despite buying interests in six of the seven sectors.The selling pressure in the banking counter was seen instrumental in dragging the 20-stock Qatar Index by a marginal 0.03% this week which saw a Standard Chartered research note that forecasted doubling of Qatar’s economy by 2031.The local retail investors were increasingly net sellers this week which saw Nakilat explore options in tapping the emerging large-scale ammonia sea transportation market as part of strengthening its expansion strategy.The foreign institutions’ higher net profit booking had its influence in the main bourse this week which saw Qatar's banks and financial services sector witnessed stronger earnings growth on an annualised basis during the first half (H1) of this year.The Gulf funds were seen bearish in the main market this week, which saw an International Gas Union report said the top three LNG (liquefied natural gas) export markets in the world – the US, Australia and Qatar currently represent more than half of global liquefaction capacity.The Gulf individuals were increasingly net sellers in the main bourse this week which saw a total of 0.01mn Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored exchange-traded fund QATR worth QR0.1mn trade across four deals.The Arab retail investors continued to be bullish but with lesser vigour in the main market this week which saw as many as 0.02mn Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR0.28mn change hands across 19 transactions.The Qatari individuals were seen increasingly net profit takers in the main bourse this week which saw the banks and industrials sectors together constitute more than 47% of the total trade volumes.The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the other indices in the main market this week, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.Market capitalisation melted QR1.13bn or 0.19% to QR585.18bn on the back of microcap segments this week, which saw no trading of treasury bills.Trade turnover grew amidst higher volumes in the main market, while in the venture market; both trade volumes and value were on the rise this week.The Total Return Index shed 0.36%, the All Share Index by 0.16% and the All Islamic Index by 0.62% this week.The banks and financial services sector index fell 0.7%; while telecom shot up 2.61%, insurance (1.01%), industrials (1%), consumer goods and services (0.31%) and transport (0.25%) this week.Major losers in the main bourse included QLM, QNB, Mannai Corporation, Widam Food, Al Meera, Dlala, Zad Holding and Industries Qatar. In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value this week.Nevertheless, as much as 59% of the traded constituents in the main market extended gains to investors with major movers being Al Faleh Educational Holding, Medicare Group, Barwa, Mazaya Qatar, Al Khaleej Takaful, Lesha Bank, Qatar Oman Investment, Inma Holding, Estithmar Holding, Qamco, Ooredoo, Vodafone Qatar and Nakilat. In the junior bourse, Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares appreciate in value this week.The local individuals’ net selling increased markedly to QR24.5mn compared to QR20.17mn the week ended August 15.The foreign institutions’ net profit booking grew substantially to QR18.43mn against QR2.48mn the previous week.The Gulf funds turned net sellers to the tune of QR4.25mn compared with net buyers of QR9.47mn a week ago.The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking rose perceptibly to QR3.19mn against QR2.4mn the week ended August 15.The Arab institutions were net sellers to the extent of QR0.05mn compared with net buyers of QR0.13mn the previous week.The Arab individual investors’ net buying weakened noticeably to QR0.55mn against QR4.41mn a week ago.However, the domestic funds’ net buying strengthened substantially to QR48.48mn compared to QR12.81mn the week ended August 15.The foreign retail investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.39mn against net profit takers of QR1.16mn the previous week.The main market witnessed 4% shrinkage in trade volumes to 527.55mn shares but on 3% jump in value to QR1.31bn amidst 10% lower deals at 55,122 this week.In the venture market, trade volumes almost quadrupled to 19.05mn equities and value more than tripled to QR38.32mn on 68% growth in transactions to 719.

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Wednesday settled in the negative with its key index losing more than 39 points, dragged by Gulf institutions’ profit booking.The transport sector witnessed higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.39% to 10,119.08 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,134 points yesterday.The domestic institutions’ weakened net buying had its influence in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 6.57%.As much as 60% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation eroded QR2.63bn or 0.45% to QR585.31bn on the back of midcap segments.The foreign retail investors’ lower net buying had its say in the main market, which saw 8,712 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.08mn trade across five deals.The foreign institutions continued to be bearish but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The local retail investors were seen net buyers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the main barometer in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the incline.The Total Return Index was rather flat but the All Islamic Index fell 0.23% and the All Share Index by 0.05% in the main market.The transport sector index shrank 0.9% and banks and financial services 0.28%; while realty gained 0.59%, industrials (0.55%), telecom (0.25%), insurance (0.21%) and consumer goods and services (0.2%).Major losers in the main market included Widam Food, Inma Holding, Industries Qatar, Nakilat, Salam International Investment and Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding.Nevertheless, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Lesha Bank, Vodafone Qatar, Estithmar Holding, Qamco and Barwa 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 Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR7.84mn compared with net buyers of QR3.39mn on August 20.The Gulf individual investors’ net selling increased marginally to QR1.19mn against QR1.04mn the previous day.The domestic institutions’ net buying decreased noticeably to QR10.63mn compared to QR17.79mn on Tuesday.The foreign individual investors’ net buying weakened perceptibly to QR0.89mn against QR1.87mn on August 20.However, the Qatari individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR7.67mn compared with net sellers of QR5.94mn the previous day.The Arab retail investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.05mn against net sellers of QR1.66mn on Tuesday.The foreign institutions’ net profit booking declined markedly to QR11.23mn compared to QR14.39mn on August 20.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net sellers to the tune of QR0.02mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market were up 4% to 105.83mn shares, value by 2% to QR277.19mn and transactions by 5% to 12,590.The venture market saw 95% plunge in trade volumes to 0.19mn equities, 95% in value to QR0.43mn and 81% in deals to 43.

Qatar’s economy is expected to double in size by 2031, aided by the country’s ability to restore government revenues to pre-2014 oil price shock levels, according to Standard Chartered, a leading international banking group.The primary drivers behind this recovery include higher hydrocarbon prices and a surge in global demand for energy, particularly within the LNG or liquefied natural gas market.Terming Qatar’s return to pre-2014 government revenue levels as a "significant" milestone in its economic journey, Standard Chartered, Qatar chief executive officer Muhannad Mukahall, said, this was neither coincidental or accidental "but in fact strategically driven by a combination of higher hydrocarbon prices, increased global demand for LNG, and substantial economic diversification efforts within sectors such as manufacturing, tourism, and finance."Currently, Qatar ranks as the sixth-largest gas producer in the world and holds the third-largest gas reserves, allowing the Gulf state to leverage rising hydrocarbon prices effectively.Qatar's strategic expansion of LNG capacity, set to increase output at the North Field by 85% by 2025, is poised to further boost revenues. Notably, this expansion is expected to nearly double natural gas output by the end of 2030 from the current 77mn tonnes per year (mtpy) with the bank’s recent Global Focus Economic Outlook Q2-2024 forecast pointing towards a ‘calm before the upsized gas boom’. The bank’s research team expects Qatar’s gas production to last for a period of 140 years as per the current rate.The global oil market has experienced significant changes since the 2014 oil price shock. While the bank acknowledges a recovery in previously low oil prices, these remain volatile due to geopolitical risks, production level adjustments, and shifts in global demand.Despite recent price volatility driven by geopolitical factors and demand fluctuations, robust demand persists, particularly during the summer months, with Brent crude forecasted to hit around $100 per barrel by year-end. Such dynamics, combined with technological advancements and a shifting geopolitical landscape, continue to shape the global oil market within the broader context of an ongoing energy transition.Qatar’s economic diversification efforts are anchored by the Third National Development Strategy (2023-30), which plays a crucial role in the recovery of its government revenues, reducing economic dependence on hydrocarbons and enhancing resilience to price fluctuations, it said.Qatar’s non-oil economy comprises two-thirds of Qatar’s GDP (gross domestic product) and has seen significant contributions from sectors such as real estate and construction, financial services, trade, manufacturing, logistics, and tourism. Such sectors have not only created new revenue streams but also provided employment opportunities, supported by substantial infrastructure investments.The LNG sector has been a major revenue contributor, accounting for about 70% of total government revenue and 80% of export receipts.Investments in downstream industries have bolstered the manufacturing and petrochemical sectors, adding value to Qatar’s hydrocarbon sector. The construction and real estate sectors have also seen growth, driven largely by infrastructure projects and real estate development, particularly those related to the World Cup and Qatar National Vision 2030 development plan.The report made special note of the role of international financial institutions and foreign investment, both of which have supported Qatar’s diversification strategy, particularly in non-oil sectors such as tourism, manufacturing, finance, and logistics.Qatar has implemented a series of reforms to improve the investment climate, including easing restrictions on foreign ownership, establishing free zones, and enhancing the legal and regulatory framework for businesses - all of which have successfully attracted significant infrastructure and energy sector investments from around the world.

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Tuesday gained mere three points despite domestic institutions' strong buying interests.Amidst rising expectations of an interest rate cut in the US by next month, the 20-stock Qatar Index was up 0.03% to 10,158.57 points, but recovering from an intraday low of 10,117 points.The real estate, telecom and consumer goods counters saw higher than average demand in the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated to 6.21%.As much as 58% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR0.17bn or 0.08% to QR587.94n on the back of microcap segments.The Gulf institutions were seen increasingly net buyers in the main market, which saw 0.02mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Doha Bank) valued at QR0.17mn trade across 10 deals.The foreign retail investors were seen bullish in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.However, the foreign funds were increasingly net profit takers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Islamic index was seen outperforming the other indices in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the incline.The Total Return Index was up 0.03%, the All Islamic Index by 0.23% and the All Share Index by 0.02% in the main market.The realty sector index gained 0.85%, telecom (0.37%), consumer goods and services (0.24%) and transport (0.07%); while industrials declined 0.13% and banks and financial services (0.04%). The insurance index was rather unchanged.Major movers in the main bourse included Al Faleh Educational Holding, Barwa, Beema, Qatar Electricity & Water, Medicare Group and Inma Holding. In the venture market, Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.Nevertheless, QLM, QIIB, Gulf International Services, Salam International Investment, Industries Qatar and Commercial Bank were among the shakers in the main bourse. In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.The domestic institutions’ net buying increased substantially to QR17.79mn compared to QR1.36mn on August 19.The Gulf institutions’ net buying strengthened notably to QR3.39mn against QR0.49mn the previous day.The foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.87mn compared with net sellers of QR1.65mn on Monday.However, the foreign institutions’ net selling strengthened significantly to QR14.39mn against QR1.68mn on August 19.The Qatari individual investors’ net profit booking grew markedly to QR5.94mn compared to QR2.73mn the previous day.The Arab retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR1.66mn against net buyers of QR4.06mn on Monday.The Gulf individuals turned net profit takers to the tune of QR1.04mn compared with net buyers of QR0.2mn on August 19.The Arab institutions’ net selling eased marginally to QR0.02mn against QR0.04mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market were up 7% to 101.84mn shares, value by 21% to QR272.09mn and transactions by 19% to 11,948.The venture market saw 88% surge in trade volumes to 3.93mn equities, 94% in value to QR8.49mn and 51% in deals to 224.

Nakilat is exploring options in tapping the emerging large-scale ammonia sea transportation market as part of strengthening its expansion strategy.The ammonia market is expected to grow rapidly, driven by several green and blue ammonia production projects announced in the Middle East and other regions."We are closely monitoring these developments to seize the potential business opportunities," Nakilat said in its latest internal magazine Voyages."Future use of ammonia as a hydrogen carrier will drive ammonia market expansion and commissioning of new production projects. This will necessitate employment of specialised large-scale ammonia gas carriers to support international trade," Nakilat said.In January 2024, Nakilat placed an order with Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HSHI) for two LNG (liquefied natural gas) carriers and four very large LPG (liquefied petroleum gas/ammonia carriers (VLGC or very large gas carriers/VLAC or very large ammonia carriers) as part of its international fleet diversification and expansion programme."The new VLAC vessels will expand the company’s presence in the growing LPG trade and emerging large-scale ammonia seaborne transportation market," it said.Highlighting that ammonia emerges as one of the low-carbon fuel with transformative (potential provided using renewable energy); it said global demand is expected to increase to 688mn tonnes by 2050 from 183mn tonnes in 2020.More than half of currently available ammonia is produced in China, the US, India and Russia, using hydrogen formed from natural gas and coal, then combined with nitrogen separated from the air using electricity, the Voyages said.Adding these new vessels will further enhance its presence in the international shipping market and demonstrate the company’s technical and commercial capabilities.These carriers are slated to be deployed in major projects with leading energy companies, leveraging the strong growth of LNG trade worldwide.Nakilat secured 25 conventional and nine QC-Max new build LNG carriers from QatarEnergy through a highly competitive international tender for the historic LNG fleet expansion programme under the North Field East (NFE) project.These vessels will be built at shipyards in South Korea and China, supervised by Nakilat’s site team, and will be employed on long-term contracts with QatarEnergy."This ensures the safe delivery of LNG worldwide and provides stable, long-term income for our company," Nakilat said.Nakilat currently operates four modern LNG carriers and four LPG carriers (VLGCs), which are chartered to international clients and trade globally.Nakilat has undertaken 368 cargoes of LNG through its 69 LNG carriers delivering 28.32mn tonnes and 11 cargoes of LPG through is four LPG vessels delivering 0.47mn tonnes in the first half of this year.

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Monday gained more than 20 points as five of the seven sectors witnessed strong to moderate buying interests.Amidst rising expectations of interest rate cut in the US, the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.2% to 10,155.75 points, but recovering from an intraday low of 10,096 points.The telecom, real estate, transport, insurance and industrials counters saw higher than average demand in the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated to 6.23%.As much as 49% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR1.17bn or 0.2% to QR587.77n on the back of small and microcap segments.The Arab individuals turned net buyers in the main market, which saw 1,220 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Doha Bank) valued at QR0.01mn trade across two deals.The Gulf retail investors were seen bullish, albeit at lower levels, in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The foreign funds’ weakened net profit booking had its influence in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Islamic index was seen outperforming the other indices in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the incline.The Total Return Index was up 0.2%, the All Islamic Index by 0.43% and the All Share Index by 0.15% in the main market.The telecom sector index shot up 2.09%, realty (0.79%), transport (0.43%), insurance (0.37%) and industrials (0.34%); while banks and financial services declined 0.19% and consumer goods and services 0.17%.Major movers in the main bourse included Ooredoo, Qatar Oman Investment, United Development Company, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Doha Insurance, Qamco, Al Khaleej Takaful, Mazaya Qatar and Nakilat. In the venture market, both Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares appreciate in value.Nevertheless, Widam Food, Inma Holding, Beema, QIIB and Mannai Corporation were among the shakers in the main bourse.The Arab individual investors were net buyers to the tune of QR4.06mn compared with net sellers of QR1.29mn on August 18.The Gulf individuals turned net buyers to the extent of QR0.2mn against net profit takers of QR0.36mn the previous day.The Qatari individual investors’ net selling declined substantially to QR2.73mn compared to QR12.04mn on Sunday.The foreign institutions’ net profit booking weakened noticeably to QR1.68mn against QR6.57mn on August 18.However, the foreign individuals’ net selling increased perceptibly to QR1.65mn compared to QR0.93mn the previous day.The Arab institutions were net profit takers to the tune of QR0.04mn against no major net exposure on Sunday.The domestic institutions’ net buying decreased considerably to QR1.36mn compared to QR14.42mn on August 18.The Gulf institutions’ net buying lessened notably to QR0.49mn against QR6.67mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market were up 1% to 95.34mn shares, value by 2% to QR224.76mn and transactions by 15% to 10,032.The venture market saw 82% plunge in trade volumes to 2.09mn equities and 80% in value to QR4.38mn but on 1% jump in deals to 148.

QTerminals Kramer is establishing charging stations at the Rotterdam Container Terminal (RCT) as part efforts towards greener operations.In this regard, QTerminals Kramer has entered into a new collaboration with Project ZES (Zero Emission Services), whose shareholders are Ebusco, ING, maritime technology company Wärtsilä and the Port of Rotterdam Authority.As part of this collaboration, ZES will introduce chargeable containers with advanced battery packs for inland vessels; QTerminals said in its social media handle X.QTerminals Kramer Rotterdam will build charging stations at the Rotterdam Container Terminal (RCT), in collaboration with the Port of Rotterdam Authority, where these containers will be recharged and exchanged using eco-friendly harbour cranes.ZES offers a new energy system to make inland shipping more sustainable: a complete product and services package for emission-free sailing based on exchangeable battery containers with green electricity, charging stations, technical support and an innovative payment concept for barge owners.The exchangeable energy containers – ZESpacks – are charged with sustainably generated power. When depleted, skippers can quickly exchange the container – in 15 minutes – for a fully charged one at one of the exchange and charging stations, according to its website.The charging station can recharge two ZESpacks in parallel in just 2.5 hours. The stations are equipped with an “open access” network. This means that they are also suitable for rapidly charging trucks and buses and can act as energy hubs. They are standardised and were developed together with the battery containers.In September 2023, QTerminals had completed purchasing a majority stake in Kramer Holding, a provider of integrated logistics and container services located in the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.The Kramer Group is an integrated container handling and storage, terminal, container development and logistics services provider, located in the Port of Rotterdam, and is the only independent terminal in the Maasvlakte area, and one of the few multi-user depot terminals in the port.The acquisition of the Kramer Group by QTerminals allows its entry and presence in the largest port in Europe which makes QTerminals Group’s position stronger in relation to future opportunities in Europe and other developed global markets.

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Sunday opened the week on a stronger note with its key index gaining as much as 10 points on buying interests, especially in the real estate and industrials counters.The domestic institutions were seen net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.1% to 10,135.37 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,157 points.The Gulf institutions were increasingly into net buying in the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated to 6.42%.The foreign individuals weakened net selling had its influence in the main bourse, whose capitalisation was up QR0.29bn or 0.05% to QR586.1bn on the back of microcap segments.However, the Qatari individuals were increasingly net sellers in the main market, which saw 7,035 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.03mn trade across five deals.The foreign institutions turned net profit takers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Arab individuals were also seen bearish in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Islamic index was seen outperforming the othe4r indices in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The Total Return Index was up 0.1%, the All Islamic Index by 0.21% and the All Share Index by 0.02% in the main market.The realty sector index gained 0.48% and industrials 0.47%; while insurance declined 0.4%, telecom 0.31%, consumer goods and services 0.29%, transport 0.1% and banks and financial services 0.07%.As much as 48% of the stocks extended gains to investors in the main bourse with major movers being Inma Holding, Widam Food, Al Khaleej Takaful, Salam International Investment and Untied Development Company. In the venture market, Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.Nevertheless, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Zad Holding, Doha Insurance, Al Meera, Qatar Electricity and Water, Qatar National Cement and Ooredoo were among the shakers in the main market. In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.The domestic funds were net buyers to the tune of QR14.42mn compared with net sellers of QR2.21mn on August 15.The Gulf institutions’ net buying increased marginally to QR6.67mn against QR6.04mn the previous trading day.The foreign individual investors’ net selling declined perceptibly to QR0.93mn compared to QR1.91mn last Thursday.However, the Qatari individuals’ net profit booking grew substantially to QR12.04mn against QR3.75mn on August 15.The foreign funds turned net sellers to the extent of QR6.57mn compared with net buyers of QR0.69mn the previous trading day.The Arab individual investors were net sellers to the tune of QR1.29mn against net buyers of QR0.34mn last Thursday.The Gulf individuals were net profit takers to the extent of QR0.36mn compared with net buyers of QR0.8mn on August 15.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the fourth straight session.Trade volumes in the main market shrank 16% to 94.64mn shares, value by 21% to QR220.68mn and transactions by 31% to 8,750.In the venture market, trade volumes jumped more than 68-fold to 11.59mn equities and value by almost 67-fold to QR22.2mn on more than eight-fold growth in deals to 146.

The Qatar Stock Exchange-listed companies have displayed robust performance in the first six months of this year as their total net profits increased 5.51% against an 11.22% decline the previous year period, according to the bourse data.Doha's listed companies reported a cumulative net profit of QR25.73bn in H1-2024 with banks and industries contributing more than 76% to the total net earnings, said the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) data.The improvement in the overall profitability of the listed companies comes amidst challenging macroeconomic environment owing to geopolitical uncertainties and high interest rate environment.The H1-2024 net earnings growth was owing to substantial improvement in the profitability in the consumer goods and banking sectors, whose share in total earnings also grew comfortably.The consumer goods and services sector, which has 13 listed entities, saw its total net profit surge 22.78% year-on-year (y-o-y) to QR0.93bn at the end of six-month ended June 30, 2024 against 18.72% plunge in the comparable period of 2023. The sector contributed 3.61% to the overall net profitability in the review period against 3.08% in H1-2023.The banks and financial services sector, which has 13 listed entities, reported a 7.61% year-on-year jump in total net profit to QR14.91bn compared to 3.05% expansion year-ago period. The net profitability jump was on robust earnings of lenders amid high interest rate regime, brought about by fixed exchange parity with the US dollar.The sector contributed 57.95% to the total net profits of the listed companies in January-June 2024 against 56.83% the previous year period.The industrials sector, which has 10 listed constituents, saw a marginal 0.14% year-on-year growth in net profitability to QR4.65bn in the first six months of 2024 compared to a 45.89% decline in H1-2023. As many six of the listed industrials saw decline in net earnings on an annualised basis, even as certain underlying entities saw higher fortunes on account of demand revival and therefore higher realised prices across sectors.The sector contributed 18.07% to the overall net earnings of the listed entities in H1-2024 against 19.02% the comparable period in 2023.The insurance sector, which has seven companies, registered a 14.66% annual surge in net earnings to QR0.72bn against 71.31% growth in H1-2023. The sector contributed 2.8% to the overall net profitability in January-June 2024 against 2.58% the previous year period.The telecom sector, which has two constituents, reported net profit of QR2.16bn, which was 8.39% of the total net profits in H1-2024 against 8.41% the comparable period of 2023. The sector reported 5.35% growth in net profit in the first six months of this year compared to 19.86% a year-ago period.The transport sector, which has three listed constituents, saw total net profits grow 1.36% year-on-year to QR1.56bn compared to 3.47% growth in H1-2023. The sector's net profit constituted 6.06% to the total net profit of the listed companies in January-June 2024 against 6.31% in the comparable period of 2023.The realty segment, which has four listed entities, saw total net earnings plummet 12.32% year-on-year to QR0.8bn in H1-2024 against a 7.15% decline in 2023 period. The sector constituted 3.11% to the overall net profitability in January-June 2024 compared to 3.77% a year-ago period.

Qatar has reported ‘significant’ growth in entrepreneurial activity with it ranking third in the region and fifth globally in National Entrepreneurship Context Index (NECI), according to Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2023/24 report.The report reflects a substantial jump in Total Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Activity (TEA) and a rise in the Established Business Ownership Rate (EBO), particularly in the consumer services sector.The TEA increased to 14.3% against 10.7% the previous year, reflecting a growing interest in entrepreneurship within Qatari society, it said.Notably, 82.2% of the adults participating in the study in Qatar, view entrepreneurship as desirable career choice, the highest percentage recorded in the past five years.In collaboration with the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), Qatar Development Bank (QDB) launched the GEM – Qatar National Report 2023/24.This annual study, produced in collaboration with the Global Consortium of Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, led by Babson College in the US and London Business School, provides valuable insights and comparative data with other countries in the region and around the world.“The GEM report is an essential resource for understanding the dynamics of entrepreneurship in Qatar, including its achievements and challenges. The data and analyses provided in this report assist in formulating policies and strategies that support the local entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said QDB chief executive officer Abdulrahman Hesham al-Sowaidi.Qatar also ranked third regionally in terms of Importance of social and environmental values, with the report noting that Qatari entrepreneurs consider these values particularly important in decision-making processes.Additionally, the report predicts substantial jump in the field of entrepreneurship in employment and international market exports, signalling a promising future for entrepreneurship in Qatar.“This year, we have seen Qatar achieve a score of 5.9 in the National Entrepreneurship Context Index, surpassing the global average of 4.7, placing it fifth globally and third in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena). This progress motivates us to further develop our initiatives and programmes in line with the outcomes of the Third Qatar National Development Strategy and improving Qatar’s entrepreneurial environment ranking regionally and globally,” al-Sowaidi said.QDB provides access to this report to deliver accurate data and detailed analyses to support entrepreneurs and enhance their understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the Qatari and international markets.The report offers a comprehensive analysis of entrepreneurial activities, attitudes, and aspirations, serving as a vital resource for researchers and entrepreneurs aiming to deepen their understanding of entrepreneurship on a global scale.