QE to start trading govt bonds from tomorrow

Qatar Exchange said it is introducing trading of government bonds issued by the Qatar Central Bank tomorrow, as part of measures to deepen the country’s debt market and diversify investment tools for banks and other institutions.

The listing of government bonds is a step towards launching a market for corporate bonds which would help companies finance their expansion plans, QE chief executive Rashid bin Ali al-Mansoori said.

Four government bonds will initially be available for trading and future quarterly issues are expected to be listed, the exchange said. It launched trading of government Treasury bills in December 2011.

Al-Mansoori explained that the bonds trading would provide various investment benefits and advantages as they constitute an important source of diversification of securities that would provide a wider range of investors with various types of investment choices. The bonds can provide investors with fixed regular income.

Al-Mansoori said the listing of government bonds comes as a first stage to launch a market for corporate bonds intended to finance the companies’ expansion plans and provide investment opportunities to take advantage of the growth of the national economy and the successes achieved by the Qatari companies.

He added that bonds will be traded in the market through the existing licensed brokerage firms and using the existing trading system currently used for stock trading. Information about the bonds and the trading in bonds will be available on the QE website and through other information channels.

Reuters adds: In March this year, the central bank began quarterly issues of riyal-denominated government bonds and sukuk, with maturities of three and five years. It has said it plans to issue a total of 16bn riyals ($4.4bn) this year.

Banks in Qatar often buy bonds to hold rather than to trade, so trading activity may be small in coming months. But Qatar has said it is keen to develop financial market activity, to raise its profile as a regional banking centre and to help finance tens of billions of dollars worth of infrastructure projects.