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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.

The Qatar Stock Exchange on Thursday rose about 41 points on the back of buying interests especially at the insurance, telecom and real estate counters.The domestic funds turned bullish as the 20-stock Qatar Index gained 0.38% to 10,660.12 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,711 points.About 65% of the traded constituents saw its shares appreciate in value in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR2.91bn or 0.47% to QR623.44bn on the back of midcap segments.The Gulf institutions were seen net buyers in the main market, which saw as many as 1,464 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at mere QR0.01mn changed hands across three deals.The local retail investors’ weakened net selling had its influence on the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The Islamic index was seen outperforming the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The foreign funds continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, which saw as many as 0.11mn sovereign bonds valued at QR1.06bn trade across three transactions.The Total Return Index rose 0.38%, the All Share Index by 0.45% and the All Islamic Index by 0.53% in the main market.The insurance sector index shot up 1.41%, telecom (1.29%), real estate (0.94%), banks and financial services (0.43%), industrials (0.35%), consumer goods and services (0.28%) and transport (0.2%).Major gainers in the main market included Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Vodafone Qatar, Baladna, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Al Khaleej Takaful, Commercial Bank, Alijarah Holding, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Qatar National Cement, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Mazaya Qatar and Barwa.In the junior bourse, Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, Inma Holding, Milaha, Doha Insurance, Ezdan and Industries Qatar were among the shakers in the main market.The domestic funds turned net buyers to the tune of QR25.44mn compared with net profit takers of QR1.11mn on January 22.The Gulf institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR3.65mn against net sellers of QR6.92mn the previous day.The Qatari individual investors’ net selling declined drastically to QR33.27mn compared to QR84.43mn on Wednesday.However, the Arab individuals’ net profit booking grew substantially to QR18.27mn against of QR5.27mn on January 22.The foreign individuals were net sellers to the tune of QR7.71mn compared with net buyers of QR0.07mn the previous day.The Gulf retail investors turned net profit takers to the extent of QR1.11mn against net buyers of QR0.84mn on Wednesday.The foreign institutions’ net buying weakened substantially to QR31.27mn compared to QR96.81mn on January 22.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the fifth straight session.Trade volumes in the main market shrank 12% to 205.8mn shares, value by 16% to QR579.65mn and deals by 24% to 18,501.The venture market saw an 8% jump in trade volumes to 0.41mn equities and 5% in value to QR1.05mn but on 33% decline in transactions to 32.

Hacken, a blockchain security auditor, has joined the Qatar Financial Center (QFC) Digital Assets Lab.“Thrilled to welcome Hacken to the QFC Digital Assets Lab. Their expertise in smart contract security and regulated cybersecurity frameworks brings great value to the digital asset space,” the QFC said in its social media handle X.The Ukraine-based entity said on X: “Proud to join forces with QFC Authority as a participant in the QFC Digital Assets Lab”.“This forward-thinking initiative is shaping the future of digital assets and DLT (distributed ledger technology) by fostering innovation and collaboration,” it added.Hacken offers comprehensive security services, including smart contract audits, penetration testing, bug bounty programs, and post-deployment monitoring, combining expertise and battle-tested methodologies to protect Web3 projects globally.Founded in 2017, Hacken has completed more than 2,000 audits, protecting over 1,500 clients. It has more than 180 partners, according to its website.In its 2024 Web3 Security Report, Hacken said the year was pivotal for Web3 security, with losses exceeding $2.9bn across DeFi (decentralised finance), CeFi (centralised finance), gaming, and metaverse platforms. Access control vulnerabilities surged, accounting for 75% of all crypto hacks, while phishing scams led to $600mn in damages.Hacken is contributing with its expertise in smart contract and protocol security, post-deployment monitoring and bug bounties, and cybersecurity solutions tailored for regulated virtual assets frameworks.“Together, we’re driving safer, more innovative solutions for the digital asset space,” the company said.The Digital Assets Lab aims to foster innovation, research, and development within the digital assets and DLT space.It provides a collaborative environment for start-ups, businesses, and researchers to explore and create innovative solutions, products, and services related to digital assets and distributed ledger technologies.The lab seeks to position Qatar as a hub for digital innovation, contribute to the growth of the digital economy and drive the adoption of emerging technologies across various sectors.Entry to the digital assets lab is one of the pathways towards securing a full licence to operate in Qatar.The lab, powered by the Qatar Central Bank, aims to put Qatar at the forefront of innovation and on an accelerated path to integrating disruptive technologies into the market.The benefits of joining QFC digital assets lab include access to Qatar’s ecosystem (exposure to QFC register and fintech), digital assets products, and work with experts across the globe; leverage QFC’s digital assets lab infrastructure and co-working space; regulatory insights and support to commercial establishment; and no specific fees and charges.

Robust corporate earnings on Wednesday lifted sentiments in the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), which Wednesday gained more than 112 points and its key index surpassed 10,600 levels on an across the board buying interests.Amidst uncertainty over the US’ new tariff policy, the foreign funds were increasingly net buyers in the local bourse as the 20-stock Qatar Index shot up 1.07% to 10,619.4 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,503 points.About 60% of the traded constituents saw its shares appreciate in value in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR4.71bn or 0.76% to QR620.53bn on the back of large and midcap segments.The Gulf individuals were seen increasingly net buyers in the main market, which saw as many as 200 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Doha Bank) valued at mere QR2,060 changed hands across one deal.The foreign retail investors turned bullish, albeit at lower levels, in 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.However, the local retail investors were increasingly net profit takers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index rose 1.07%, the All Share Index by 0.89% and the All Islamic Index by 1.08% in the main market.The telecom sector index soared 2.53%, consumer goods and services (0.99%), industrials (0.91%), banks and financial services (0.77%), transport (0.69%), real estate (0.68%) and insurance (0.62%).Major gainers in the main market included Commercial Bank, Qamco, Ooredoo, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Doha Bank, Dlala, Masraf Al Rayan, Woqod, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Aamal Company and Qatar National Cement.Nevertheless, Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution, Gulf Warehousing, Ezdan, Dukhan Bank and Meeza were among the shakers in the main bourse.In the venture market, both Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares depreciate in value.The foreign institutions’ net buying increased substantially to QR96.81mn compared to QR2.91mn on January 21.The Gulf individual investors’ net buying strengthened marginally to QR0.84mn against QR0.42mn the previous day.The foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.07mn compared with net sellers of QR1.37mn on Tuesday.However, the Qatari individuals’ net selling expanded drastically to QR84.43mn against QR37.22mn on January 21.The Gulf institutions were net sellers to the extent of QR6.92mn compared with net buyers of QR0.76mn the previous day.The Arab individual investors were net sellers to the tune of QR5.27mn against net buyers of QR1.5mn on Tuesday.The domestic funds turned net profit takers to the extent of QR1.11mn compared with net buyers of QR32.99mn on January 21.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the fourth straight session.Trade volumes in the main market soared 10% to 234.12mn shares, value by 43% to QR689.13mn and deals by 63% to 24,204.The venture market saw a 76% plunge in trade volumes to 0.38mn equities, 76% in value to QR1mn and 68% in transactions to 48.

The Gaza ceasefire had its positive impact on the Gulf bourses, including the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), which on Monday gained about 40 points, on the back of buying interests especially in the real estate, industrials, telecom and consumer goods sectors.Ahead of the inauguration of the new US president, the 20-stock Qatar Index gained 0.38% to 10,507.56 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,538 points.The foreign institutions were increasingly net buyers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR4.59bn or 0.75% to QR616.91bn on the back of mid and small cap segments.About 62% of the traded constituents were seen extending gains to investors in the main market, which saw as many as 0.02 exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at mere QR0.07mn changed hands across seven deals.The foreign retail investors turned bullish in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The Islamic index was seen outperforming the other indices in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Arab retail investors were increasingly net buyers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index rose 0.38%, the All Share Index by 0.35% and the All Islamic Index by 0.62% in the main market.The realty sector index shot up 2.32%, industrials (1.49%), telecom (1.14%), consumer goods and services (0.72%), transport (0.45%) and insurance (0.38%); while banks and financial services declined 0.42%.Major gainers in the main bourse included Ezdan, Industries Qatar, Alijarah Holding, Vodafone Qatar, Qamco, Gulf International Services, Lesha Bank, Woqod, Salam International Investment, Mekdam Holding, QLM, Barwa and United Development Company.In the venture market, both Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares appreciate in value.Nevertheless, Estithmar Holding, Doha Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Qatar German Medical Devices, Qatar National Cement and Al Faleh Educational Holding were among the shakers in the main market.The foreign institutions’ net buying increased substantially to QR16.39mn compared to QR0.04mn on January 17.The foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR2.99mn against net sellers of QR1.4mn the previous day.The Arab individual investors’ net buying expanded marginally to QR1.7mn compared to QR1.1mn on Sunday.The Qatari individuals’ net profit booking declined perceptibly to QR19.68mn against QR22.05mn on January 17.The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking weakened marginally to QR1.13mn compared to QR1.56mn the previous day.However, the Gulf retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR0.37mn against net buyers of QR0.23mn on Sunday.The domestic institutions’ net buying shrank drastically to QR0.06mn compared to QR23.65mn on January 17.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the second straight session.Trade volumes in the main market surged 67% to 233.55mn shares, value by 67% to QR446.06mn and deals by 49% to 15,750.Trade volumes in the venture market jumped about 10-fold to 2.32mn equities and value by about nine-fold to QR5.81mn on more than doubled transactions to 116.

The Qatar Stock Exchange on Sunday witnessed a rollercoaster ride for most part of the session before settling marginally lower despite buying interests in five of the seven sectors.The local retail investors were seen increasingly net sellers as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed about four points or 0.04% to 10,467.97 points, but recovering from an intraday low of 10,459 points.The foreign institutions’ weakened net buying interests had its influence on the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR0.75bn or 0.12% to QR612.32bn on the back of microcap and small cap segments.However, about 56% of the traded constituents were seen extending gains to investors in the main market, which saw as many as 0.02 exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at mere QR0.04mn changed hands across six deals.The foreign retail investors turned bearish in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The Islamic index was seen making gains vis-à-vis declines in the other indices in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Gulf institutions continued to be net profit takers but with lesser intensity in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index was down 0.04% and the All Share Index by 0.1%, while the All Islamic Index rose 0.41% in the main market.The banks and financial services sector index shed 0.59% and industrials 0.06%; whereas telecom declined 1.26%, real estate (1.06%), transport (0.86%), insurance (0.44%) and consumer goods and services (0.39%).Major losers in the main market included Beema, Aamal Company, Doha Insurance, Gulf International Services, Nakilat and Industries Qatar.In the junior bourse, both Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Qatar German Medical Devices, Milaha, Inma Holding, Qamco, Lesha Bank, Meeza, Qatari Investors Group, Ooredoo and United Development Company were among the movers in the main market.The Qatari individual investors’ net selling increased noticeably to QR22.05mn compared to QR15.37mn on January 16.The foreign individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR1.4mn against net buyers of QR1.58mn last Thursday.The foreign funds’ net buying decreased substantially to QR0.04mn compared to QR44.49mn the previous trading day.However, the domestic institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR23.65mn against net sellers of QR4.28mn on January 16.The Arab individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR1.1mn compared with net profit takers of QR0.9mn last Thursday.The Gulf retail investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.23mn against net sellers of QR0.29mn the previous trading day.The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking weakened significantly to QR1.56mn compared to QR25.3mn on January 16.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net buyers to the tune of QR0.1mn last Thursday.Trade volumes in the main market shrank 13% to 139.96mn shares, value by 32% to QR267.48mn and deals by 29% to 10,539.The venture market saw a 65% contraction in trade volumes to 0.24mn equities, 63% in value to QR0.66mn and 20% in transactions to 49.