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Market EyeForeign institutions were seen squaring off position in the Qatar Stock Exchange, which closed in the negative for the fourth straight session, resulting in 96 points plunge in index and about QR5bn in capitalisation.The banks, consumer goods and telecom counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.86% to 11,078.5 points, although it touched an intraday high of 11,199 points.More than 73% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market, whose year-to-date gains truncated further to 4.8%.The Gulf institutions were seen net profit takers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation eroded QR4.73bn or 0.71% to QR664.32bn; mainly on midcap segments.The Gulf retail investors turned bearish in the main market, which saw as many as 2,936 exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.02mn trade across six deals.The Arab institutions’ weakened net buying had its marginal influence on the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.However, the domestic funds turned net buyers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index shed 0.86%, the All Share Index by 0.85% and the All Islamic Index 0.68% in the main market.The banks and financial services sector index tanked 1.24%, consumer goods and services (0.98%), telecom (0.94%), transport (0.26%), industrials (0.15%) and insurance (0.06%); while real estate was unchanged.As many as 10 stocks gained, while 38 declined and four were unchanged.Major losers in the main market included Medicare Group, Qatar Islamic Bank, QIIB, Qatar Oman Investment, Meeza, QNB, Dukhan Bank, Barwa, Ooredoo and Nakilat.In the juniour bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, Estithmar Holding, Mazaya Qatar, Ezdan, Mekdam Holding, Gulf Warehousing and Vodafone Qatar were among the movers in the main market.The foreign institutions’ net profit booking increased substantially to QR44.51mn compared to QR5.55mn the previous day.The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR13.29mn against net buyers of QR12.47mn on September 23.The Gulf individual investors were net sellers to the extent of QR0.71mn compared with net buyers of QR1.31mn on Tuesday.The Arab institutions’ net buying weakened marginally to QR0.02mn against QR0.05mn the previous day.However, the domestic funds turned net buyers to the tune of QR43.53mn compared with net sellers of QR2.24mn on September 23.The local retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR13.09mn against net sellers of QR5.02mn on Tuesday.The foreign individual investors’ net buying strengthened perceptibly to QR5.21mn compared to QR4.7mn the previous day.The Arab retail investors’ net profit booking shrank noticeably to QR3.33mn against QR5.72mn on September 23.The main market saw a 22% jump in trade volumes to 217.05mn shares, 22% in value to QR572.05mn and 3% in deals to 24,303.In the venture market, a total of 0.23mn equities valued at QR0.6mn changed hands across 18 transactions.

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) general index opened the week in negative territory on Sunday, edging down 13.52 points, or 0.12%, to 11,294 at the start of trading.Market data showed gains in three sectors, led by Telecoms (+0.46%), Real Estate (+0.34%), and Transportation (+0.23%). However, the index was weighed down by declines in Consumer Goods and Services (-0.32%), Insurance (-0.24%), Banks and Financial Services (-0.12%), and Industrials (-0.02%).As of 10:00 am, trading volume stood at 36.371 million shares, with a turnover of QR 93.945 million across 3,429 transactions.

Major indices on the US stock market ended today's trading session in the green. The S&P 500 index rose by 32.05 points, or 0.47%, closing at 6,662.84 points. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite gained 156.30 points, or 0.69%, finishing at 22,625.48 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also saw a notable increase, adding 165.45 points, or 0.36%, to close at 46,315.77 points.

Qatar has strengthened its role in Middle East space market with $220mn civil space investments and expected to grow 5% annually through 2033, according to Boston Consulting Group (BCG)."Qatar, alongside the UAE and Saudi Arabia, represents the core of the region’s civil space investments, each contributing actively to the Gulf Cooperation Council's or GCC’s emergence as a hub for space innovation and ambition," BCG said in its latest report.Qatar, with a $220mn investment in civil space activities for 2024, contributes around 5% of the market today and holds just under 5% downstream services market share, strengthening the GCC’s collective leadership and offering a strong foundation for future growth, it said.Downstream refers to ongoing operations and services, while upstream includes spacecraft design and manufacturing, launch facilities, and ground operations. Downstream markets are increasingly merging with the digital industry, adopting technologies like AI (artificial intelligence) and cloud computing for efficient mass data collection and processing.The UAE has demonstrated a strategic commitment to space, with $443mn invested in civil space in 2024, corresponding to approximately 40–45% of government spending across the MEA (Middle East and Africa) region, whose space market is valued at $18bn.The UAE is positioned to capture more than 50% of the region’s downstream services market share, including satellite communications and earth observation, according to BCG.Saudi Arabia, with a comparable $220mn investment in 2024, accounts for an estimated 20–25% share of government space spending in the region and is expected to hold more than 20% of the regional downstream services market"All three markets are projected to grow at or above the global space economy compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% through 2033, underscoring the region’s long-term commitment and momentum.Qatar's Es'hailSat plays a crucial role in regional satellite communications, while the UAE's Mars Hope Probe showcases successful international collaboration frameworks."What we're witnessing across the GCC is a comprehensive understanding that space industry success requires simultaneous excellence across multiple dimensions, financial commitment, partnership strategy, risk management, and policy integration, while maintaining patience for long-term returns in a rapidly evolving global landscape," Thibault Werle, Managing Director and Partner at BCG, said.Saudi Arabia's partnerships with NASA and Axiom, along with private sector participation from entities like Neo Space Group, demonstrate the effectiveness of hybrid investment models.

Kuwait Bourse closed trading on Sunday as the All Share Index gained 68.20 points to reach 8,784.83 points, an increase of 0.78 percent. As many as 514.3 million shares valued at KWD 104.6 million (roughly USD 319 million) were traded via 24,040 transactions.The Main Market Index went up by 66.27 points to reach 8,002.73 points, up by 0.84 percent, through 316.9 million shares done via 15,462 transactions valued at KWD 46.19 million (roughly USD 140.8 million).The Premier Market Index gained 72.05 points to reach 9,413.99 points, up by 0.77 percent, through 197.3 million shares done via 8,578 transactions valued at KWD 58.4 million (roughly USD 178.12 million).Meanwhile, the bourse Main 50 Index went up by 80.86 points to reach 8,251.41 points, up by 0.99 percent, through stock volume of 250 million shares done in 10,531 deals at a value of KWD 38.5 million (roughly USD 117.4 million).

As the oil market moves closer to a long-anticipated glut, traders are closely watching buying from China to see if it will absorb an excess that the world’s crude producing nations are set to pump.Earlier this year, China piled into the crude market to snap up millions of barrels, including some that went into its strategic storage. The buildup has since slowed down as the nation’s domestic demand picked up, but with expectations that Beijing will continue to amass barrels, its next steps are seen as critical.With China’s vast network of oil tank farms still a little over 50% full, according to OilX data, traders say another spree would limit the damage from a long-anticipated glut in other parts of the globe. That’s significant because if China’s buying is elevated, it will prevent a buildup of supply in a narrow set of hubs in Midwestern America and Northwest Europe, limiting how far prices can fall.“The key question is where stockbuilds will turn up,” HSBC Holdings Plc analysts including Kim Fustier wrote this week. “If China continues to absorb excess oil volumes via its strategic reserves, as it did in in the second quarter, stockbuilds in the OECD could be muted.”The global market’s capacity to absorb barrels will be among talking points when OPEC+ nations meet to discuss supply on Sunday. Saudi Arabia wants the group to accelerate the return of another tranche of halted output adding to concerns about a surplus that would depress prices but all options are on the table.About 10% of the nation’s crude stockpiling has been directed to its strategic petroleum reserves, according to Kayrros analyst Antoine Halff. There have also been additions to the country’s refining capacity, such as CNOOC Ltd’s Daxie plant, and the addition of new tank space.It’s also possible that Beijing wants to hold more barrels in storage given the heightened levels of geopolitical risks over the last few years, the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies wrote in a note.While China’s flagship crude futures contract was flashing a softer market over recent weeks, the world’s two main benchmark’s continued to suggest relatively tight supplies.That’s because inventory builds so far this year have avoided western hubs. In Cushing, Oklahoma, the tank farm of about 15 storage terminals that underpins the West Texas Intermediate futures contract, inventories have been repeatedly near multi-year seasonal lows this year.The International Energy Agency says that in the second quarter global oil stockpiles increased by the most since the third three months of 2020, when the global economy was still being ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic. Over that period, stockpiles in the developed world climbed by 60,000 barrels a day, while expanding by more than 1mn barrels a day everywhere else.It’s still possible that prices will need to fall from current levels for China buy in a big way, though, according to Frederic Lasserre, head of research at Gunvor Group.“The last solver that everybody is talking about is China,” he said. “Not for runs, but because we’ve seen a recent trend of them being willing to build up crude barrels. But if you expect China to go back to stockpiling 1mn barrels a day, you need a big price drop to incentivise it.”Both inside and outside of China there’s plenty of space to store unwanted oil.Bank of America Corp wrote last month that there’s about a billion barrels of empty tank capacity available across the globe to fill with inventories, which could mean that markets avoid falling into a heavily bearish structure.There are signs that the surge in production is starting to come, though. Brazil’s output approached 4mn barrels a day for the first time over the summer, and a new field is due to start in the country before the end of the year. Guyana has moved from producing nothing to almost 1mn barrels a day and output in Canada’s oil heartland of Alberta hit a record in July.At the same time, despite concerns about a decline in US output, the Energy Information Administration has consistently revised oil supply estimates higher over the last few months.What traders are waiting for now, is for those increases to appear at key storage hubs.“When we look at OECD inventories we’re still at a relatively low level,” Nadia Martin Wiggen, a director at Svelland Capital, said in a Bloomberg TV interview. “Yes, there is this supply glut coming according to expectations, but we need to see that materialising.”

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) retreated by 127.63 points or 1.14% to close at 11,099.21. Market capitalisation declined 1.2% to QR662.7bn from QR670.8bn at the end of the previous trading week.Of the 53 traded companies, 44 ended the week higher, while 32 ended lower and nine ended higher. Mannai (MCCS) was the best performing stock for the week, rising 11.6%. Meanwhile, Estithmar Holding (IGRD) was the worst performing stock for the week, declining by 10.7%.Industries Qatar (IQCD), Qatar Islamic Bank (QIBK) and Estithmar Holding (IGRD) were the main contributors to the weekly index losses. They shaved 31.86, 26.03 and 14.16 points off the index, respectively.Traded value during the week decreased 26.1% to QR1,647.4mn from QR2,228.1mn in the prior trading week. Baladna (BLDN) was the top value traded stock during the week with total traded value of QR143.1mn.Traded volume decreased 24.2% to 574.9mn shares compared with 758.0mn shares in the prior trading week. The number of transactions inched up 0.6% to 96,797 vs 96,238 in the prior week. BLDN was the top volume traded stock during the week with total traded volume of 91.9mn shares.Foreign institutions turned bearish, ending the week with net selling of QR56.5mn vs net buying of QR2.9mn in the prior week. Qatari institutions remained bullish, with net buying of QR14.5mn vs net buying of QR12.4mn in the week before. Foreign retail investors ended the week with net buying of QR34.4mn vs net buying of QR2.9mn in the prior week. Qatari retail investors recorded net buying of QR7.6mn vs net selling of QR18.2mn.Global foreign institutions are net buyers of Qatari equities by $184.5mn YTD, while GCC institutions are net long by $76.2mn.The QSE index closed down for the third week by 1.16% from the week before at 11,099.2 points. The recent correction is a natural phenomenon in the financial markets: markets correct after sharp rises. From a technical point of view, the index remains in a healthy uptrend as long as it stays above the 10,650 level. Major moving averages are stacked positively and pointing upwards, which support our bullish outlook over the coming months. We also stay dynamic with the signals offered to us by the market.

Turkiye’s central bank Governor Fatih Karahan struck an optimistic note on the inflation outlook following worse-than-expected data and market turmoil, suggesting investors may have been too hasty in reducing their forecasts for interest-rate cuts.An unexpected court order against the main opposition party on Tuesday which triggered a broad selloff in Turkish assets was followed by the release of higher-than-expected August inflation data the next morning. The combination had Wall Street banks swiftly redrawing their predictions for a new rate-cutting cycle, anticipating a less severe reduction when policymakers meet on September 11.But in an interview with Bloomberg News on Thursday, Karahan said the breakdown of August’s inflation numbers and second-quarter growth showed that demand-driven price pressures are easing.“Though headline GDP growth was higher than forecasts, the components of the GDP data showed that demand conditions continue to support disinflation,” he said in Istanbul. While overall quarterly growth was an above-forecast 1.6%, Karahan highlighted that private consumption has come in negative for two consecutive quarters.Similarly, while August inflation which slowed to 33% from 33.5% the prior month was above expectations, Karahan emphasised the main indicators of the underlying trend offered “a healthier assessment.” Those show that price rises are continuing to ease, he said, while adding that the central bank is keeping a close eye on the impact of increases in rent and education on inflation expectations.The BIST-100 Index and banking stocks were slightly up on Friday morning at 10.22am. The lira was trading 0.2% lower against the US dollar at 41.25.The central bank reduced rates by more than anticipated in July, to 43% from 46%, the first cut in four months, and signalled at the time that more was to come.But a court order to remove the Istanbul administration of Turkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, unnerved investors. That ruling which precedes a number of other legal decisions related to the opposition coincided with the disappointing economic reports, causing Wall Street banks to predict a slower pace of interest-rate cuts.Asked whether the central bank’s views on inflation are influenced by the overall uncertainty, Karahan said: “We haven’t allowed for the deterioration of inflation expectations nor for demand to disrupt disinflation and we won’t allow it.” “We want to preserve the gains we’ve made in reserves, the current-account balance and other important areas like dollarisation,” he added.The central bank last month fine-tuned its guidance for inflation, maintaining a year-end target of 24% while at the same time issuing a projection of where it anticipates the figure to ultimately end up.That’s likely to be in the range of 25% to 29%, the bank said.The official targets will be used to “determine the tightness of monetary policy in the current and near-term period,” Karahan said.“Because monetary mechanism takes some time, in the short run estimates could diverge from the interim targets,” he said. “There might be times when monetary policy can’t immediately react. For example, these could include factors that fall outside the relative sphere of influence of monetary policy, developments that have emerged very recently relative to the control horizon, and situations where the impact on the inflation outlook is uncertain.”

Saudi Arabia’s battered stock market is looking increasingly attractive to foreign investors because of rock-bottom valuations and bets that the oil price won’t drop much further.Investors from beyond the Arabian Gulf accounted for 41% of total Saudi equities buying in the week ended August 28, one of the highest ratios on record, according to Saudi stock exchange data compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence.The flows signal that a rush of reforms making it easier for foreigners to buy Saudi stocks is working. For the time being, however, risks still have the upper hand with the Tadawul All Share Index down 11% year to date and domestic investors on the retreat, along with crude prices.Nishit Lakhotia, head of research at SICO Bank, said stock investors are currently pricing in a “worse-case scenario” for the Saudi market, which he expects to bottom out shortly, unless oil drops below $60 a barrel — which would amount to a roughly 10% drop from current levels.“We believe the momentum is still there in the economy, which does not warrant such depressed valuations,” he said. “While it’s hard to predict when exactly the market can turn, there will likely be a point — sooner than later — when smart investors will start buying.”The slump has made Saudi stocks look relatively attractive, with the benchmark index near the lowest price-to-earnings multiple in more than five years. Junaid Ansari, director of investment strategy and research at Kamco Investment Co, expects a sharp turnaround in sentiment from the fourth quarter, when investors start making allocations for 2026.“The Saudi market is an oversold market,” said Ansari. While foreigners have largely been net buyers, “the sellers are mainly institutions in Saudi Arabia which we believe are selling to focus on other investment opportunities in the Kingdom,” he said.Nevertheless, the weak oil market is weighing down Saudi assets. Brent crude is trading around $66 per barrel, well below the nation’s fiscal breakeven price of $94, according to Bloomberg Economics. If domestic investments by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund are included, the figure rises to $111.While foreigners accounted for about 35% of all Saudi stock purchases in August, continuing a strong trend, daily turnover on the market has dropped to the lowest level since 2023. This means that international investors are grabbing a bigger slice of a smaller pie.Still, the gloom over the kingdom’s stocks may be over-hyped, especially as a negative perception of earnings is in large part based on giants, such as Saudi Arabian Oil Company and Saudi Basic Industries Corp.Excluding Aramco and Sabic, Saudi stocks are showing roughly 7% profit growth, Kamco’s Ansari said. Even as the Tadawul index has declined, owners of Saudi National Bank and Saudi Telecom Co shares have seen 11% and 13% returns, respectively, so far this year.“Although earnings growth for 2025 and 2026 is among the lowest across emerging markets, valuations have become more attractive,” said Nenad Dinic, an emerging-markets equity strategist at Bank Julius Baer & Co Ltd.

Eight Opec+ countries to meet on SundayOpec+ could also pause hikes for October, source saysNo immediate comment received from Opec or Saudi authoritiesEight Opec+ members will consider further raising oil production at a meeting on Sunday, two sources familiar with the discussions said, as the group seeks to regain market share.Opec+ has reversed its strategy of output cuts from April and has already raised quotas by about 2.5mn barrels per day, about 2.4% of world demand, to boost market share and under pressure from US President Donald Trump to lower oil prices.But those increases have failed to bring down oil prices, which traded near $68 a barrel supported by Western sanctions on Russia and Iran, encouraging further production gains in rivals such as the US.Another output boost would mean Opec+, which pumps about half of the world's oil, would be starting to unwind a second layer of cuts of about 1.65mn barrels per day, or 1.6% of world demand, more than a year ahead of schedule.Eight Opec+ countries are due to hold an online meeting on Sunday expected to decide on October output.Opec+ includes the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries plus Russia and other allies.There is also a chance, some analysts and an Opec+ source said, that Opec+ could pause the increases for October. A final decision has not been made, the Opec+ source said.Opec headquarters and authorities in Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Brent crude was trading near $68 on Wednesday, down over 1% on the day but up from a 2025 low of near $58 in April.As well as sanctions, the Opec+ hikes falling short of the pledged amounts have also supported prices, analysts have said.Until April, Opec+ had been curtailing production for several years to support oil prices.At their last meeting in August, the eight members raised production by 547,000 bpd for September, completing a total increase in output for the year of 2.5mn bpd. That included a 300,000 bpd additional production allocation for the UAE.The next output cut layer of 1.65mn bpd is in place until the end of 2026, as is another 2mn bpd of cuts by the whole group.

As students are set to resume classes soon for the new school year after the long summer holidays, tailoring shops at Al Ali Market have been enjoying brisk business to finish the orders for school uniforms and thobes (Qatari traditional dress for men) and other accessories.Local Arabic daily Arrayah reported that a number of Qataris have stressed their keenness to accompany their children to the tailors' shops to have new uniforms tailored and purchased, noting that prices are generally stable compared to the previous year.A considerable number of tailors and shop owners confirmed that the price of a thobe varies depending on whether it is ready-made or custom-tailored, in addition to the type and quality of fabric, whether it is light or heavy.They pointed out that some shops work until late at night during this period of the year to deliver thobes and school uniforms before the start of the academic year. They also noted the availability of different types of accessories, pointing out that the price of a thobe ranges between QR70 and QR140 depending on the size and quality.Mohamed Abdullah, owner of a tailoring shop in Al Ali Market, noted that many prefer to have thobes custom-tailored for their children so as to get a proper and comfortable fit.As for the most popular fabrics, he said that certain types of Japanese fabric, suitable for high temperatures during most months of the year is sought after by customers. He added that shops work until late at night to ensure timely delivery of the thobes, while demand increases significantly just a few days before the start of the school year, as many parents have returned recently from vacation.Mubarak al-Mansouri, a parent, confirmed that he has been going to the same tailoring shop in Al Ali Market for almost 15 years, noting that fabric prices vary depending on the type. He added that tailoring a thobe usually takes between three to four days.Mohammed Bu Rashid, who came with his children to have school thobes tailored in preparation for the new academic year, explained that the market offers all types of fabrics used for tailoring thobes. He added that prices have remained stable and affordable.He pointed out that people generally prefer light, bright white fabrics as they are most suitable for the hot weather. In addition, the appropriate accessories are selected for each child according to his height and preferences.

Oil prices fell on Friday as traders looked toward weaker demand in the US, the world's largest oil market, and a boost in supply this autumn from OPEC and its allies. Brent crude futures for October delivery, which expired on Friday, settled at $68.12 a barrel, down 50 cents.West Texas Intermediate crude futures settled at $64.01, down 59 cents. The market was in part shifting its focus toward next week's OPEC+ meeting.Crude output has increased from OPEC+, as the group has accelerated output hikes to regain market share, raising the supply outlook and weighing on global oil prices. Meanwhile, the US summer driving season ends on Monday's Labor Day holiday, signalling the end of the highest demand period in the country, which is the largest fuel market.Crude supply increases have yet to reach the US market, raising the prospect of a tighter balance between supply and demand. Earlier in the week, prices rose on news of Ukrainian attacks against Russian oil export terminals, but reports of ceasefire discussions between Ukraine’s European allies helped ease the upward pressure.US crude inventories for the week ending August 22 posted larger-than-expected draws, suggesting late-summer demand remained firm, especially across industrial and freight-related sectors. Meanwhile, analysts noted that investors are closely watching India’s response to US pressure to curb purchases of Russian oil.GasAsian spot LNG prices slipped last week on muted demand and ample supply, with the delivery of an LNG cargo from a sanctioned Russian project adding to supply concerns. The average LNG price for October delivery into Northeast Asia was at $11.15 per mmBtu, down from $11.40 per mmBtu last week, industry sources estimated. LNG market sentiment remained calm with arbitrage for US cargoes still Europe-bound.Major Northeast Asian buyers have limited interest in prompt cargoes due to high stocks and a relatively loosened Pacific balance. The risk of Russia's Arctic LNG 2 ramping up LNG exports has significantly increased with the first unloading of a cargo from the facility in China.A full, sustained ramp-up of the first two trains at Arctic LNG 2 is a significant downside risk to Asian spot LNG prices. The Arctic LNG 2 cargo delivery has weighed on Chinese demand expectations for spot LNG, freeing up spot supply elsewhere. Additional supply from new projects is putting downward pressure on prices.Besides ramp-ups from Plaquemines in the US, new projects like LNG Canada, Greater Tortue Ahmeyim offshore West Africa and Congo LNG could add around 0.5mn tons per month in July and August, while the return of Norway's Hammerfest LNG after being offline since May represents a recovery of around 400,000 tons per month. In Europe, the Dutch TTF hub settled at $10.74 per mmBtu, recording a weekly loss of more than 6%.