After the illegal blockade on Qatar turned its stocks into one of the biggest losers among global peers last year, Qatar’s benchmark index has staged a remarkable recovery to enter a bull market, according to Bloomberg. With generous dividends and attractive valuations appealing to investors, the Qatar Stock Exchange’s benchmark Qatar Index has advanced a stupendous 21% from a six-year low in November. The stocks have been on the rise since Qatar said in December it will increase spending. Most Qatari companies are expected to distribute “generous dividends leading to attractive dividend yields” for 2017, analysts at QNB Financial Services led by head of research Saugata Sarkar wrote in a note to clients this month. “For the time being, valuations are attractive versus the region’s forward price-to-earnings multiples and dividend yields remain superior to the region.” Stocks in the gas-exporting nation have been on the rise since the country announced in December that it expects to increase spending this year. The index was fewer than five points away from entering a bull market on January 15, but its rally was interrupted after the UAE said Qatari fighter jets had “intercepted” two Emirati commercial planes. Qatar denied the claims. The near-term outlook for Qatar is “not as challenging as perceived,” as its economy has proved more resilient than expected to the standoff, according to Jaap Meijer and Michael Malkoun, analysts at Arqaam Capital in Dubai. 

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