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Once one of the country’s biggest growth drivers, China’s property market has been in a downward spiral for four years with no signs of abating. Real estate values continue to plummet, households in financial distress are being forced to sell properties, and apartment developers that racked up enormous debt on speculative projects are on the brink of collapse.There was some optimism that government measures to end the crisis had been working to reinvigorate the market, but in March, government-linked developer China Vanke Co reported a record 49.5bn yuan ($6.8bn) annual loss for 2024, showing just how deep the problems run. Then in August, property giant China Evergrande Group delisted from the Hong Kong stock exchange — making the shares effectively worthless — marking a grim milestone for the nation’s property sector.China is now considering further measures to revive its struggling property sector, particularly after new and resale homes recorded their steepest price declines in at least a year in October. The slump has heightened concerns that further weakening could destabilise the country’s financial system.What happened to Evergrande?Evergrande’s downfall is by far the biggest in a crisis that dragged down China’s economic growth and led to a record number of distressed builders.Founded in 1996 by Hui Ka Yan, Evergrande’s rapid expansion was from the outset fuelled by heavy borrowing. It became the most indebted borrower among its peers, with total liabilities reaching about $360bn at the end of 2021. For a time it was the country’s biggest developer by contracted sales and was worth more than $50bn in 2017 at its peak. Founder and Chairman Hui became Asia’s second-richest person. Over the years the company also invested in the electric vehicle industry and bought a local football club.In 2020, Beijing started to crack down on the property sector. The new measures put a cap on the developer’s borrowing capacity, effectively cutting off its lifeline from credit markets. Following failed restructuring attempts, Evergrande was given a winding-up order in Hong Kong in 2024. Later that year, a mainland Chinese court accepted a liquidation application filed against one of its major onshore units.After a long trading suspension, the Guangzhou-based company was formally delisted from the Hong Kong stock exchange on August 25. Evergrande still has two other units listed in Hong Kong: a property service provider — which liquidators are seeking to sell off — and an electric vehicle maker. The latter, China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group Ltd, has been suspended since April.How did some Chinese developers get into this mess?In 1998, China created a nationwide housing market after tightly restricting private sales for decades. Back then, only a third of its people lived in towns and cities. That’s risen to two-thirds, with the urban population expanding by 480mn. The exodus from the countryside represented a vast commercial opportunity for construction firms and developers.Money flooded into real estate as the emerging middle class leapt upon what was one of the few safe investments available, pushing home prices up sixfold over the 15 years ending in 2022. Local and regional authorities, which rely on sales of public land for a chunk of their revenue, encouraged the development boom. At its peak, the sector directly and indirectly accounted for about a quarter of domestic output and almost 80% of household assets. Estimates vary, but counting new and existing homes, plus inventory, the sector was worth about $52tn in 2019 — about twice the size of the US real estate market.The property craze was powered by debt as builders rushed to satisfy expected future demand. The boom encouraged speculative buying, with new homes pre-sold by developers who turned increasingly to foreign investors for funds. Opaque liabilities made it hard to assess credit risks. The speculation led to astronomical prices, with homes in boom cities such as Shenzhen becoming less affordable relative to local incomes than those in London or New York. In response, the government moved in 2020 to reduce the risk of a bubble and temper the inequality that unaffordable housing can create.Anxious to rein in the industry’s debts and fearful that serial defaults could ravage China’s financial system, officials began to squeeze new financing for developers and asked banks to slow the pace of mortgage lending. The government imposed stringent rules on debt ratios and cash holdings for developers that were called the “three red lines” by state-run media. The measures sparked a cash crunch for developers that was exacerbated by the impact of aggressive measures to contain Covid-19, such as the suspension of construction sites.Many developers were unable to adhere to the new rules as their finances were already stretched. In 2021, Evergrande defaulted on more than $300bn, triggering the beginning of China’s property crisis. Two more property giants defaulted — Sunac China Holdings Ltd in 2022 and Country Garden Holdings Co in 2023.How did the crackdown affect the property market?After years of insatiable demand from buyers, the market ground to a halt. In addition to the government’s lending restrictions, the economic shock of Covid lockdowns reinforced a culture of frugality, and a deteriorating job market meant people were suddenly facing layoffs and salary cuts.Property prices began to fall in 2022. In August 2024, the country recorded its steepest annual drop in property values in nine years. On top of the millions of square feet of unfinished apartments that indebted developers left to gather dust, the imbalance in supply and demand meant 400mn sq m of newly completed flats remained unsold as of May 2024.With household debt at a high of 145% of disposable income per capita at the end of 2023, homeowners are increasingly under financial pressure. The country’s residential mortgage delinquency ratio – which tracks overdue mortgage payments – jumped to the highest in four years as of late 2023. Some homeowners are being forced to sell their properties at a discounted rate, which is only exacerbating the problem.The weakness has continued to shake more cash-strapped developers. Mid-sized builder China South City Holdings Ltd was ordered to liquidate by Hong Kong’s High Court on Aug. 11 after a default more than a year ago. Hong Kong’s courts have issued at least eight wind-up orders for Chinese developers since the crisis began in 2021.How is the government trying to prop up the market?In 2022 authorities realised the rules to rein in the market had gone too far. Aiming to avoid a “Lehman moment” — when the failure of the US bank in 2008 sent shock waves through global markets — the government unveiled measures centred on boosting equity, bond and loan financing for developers to alleviate the liquidity crunch.**media[386054]**Developers were allowed to access more money from apartment pre-sales, the industry’s biggest source of funds, and 200bn yuan ($27bn) was advanced as special loans to complete stalled housing projects. The government tweaked financial rules, allowing the central bank to increase support for distressed developers and instructing banks to ensure growth in both residential mortgages and loans to developers in some areas.Since mid-2024, the government has cut borrowing costs on existing mortgages, relaxed buying curbs in big cities and lowered taxes on home purchases. It also trimmed purchasing costs for people seeking to upgrade dwellings in some big cities. In August 2025, Beijing authorities removed a cap to allow eligible families to buy an unlimited number of homes in outer suburban areas, and Shanghai and Shenzhen soon followed.Despite these measures, the property market continues to deteriorate. Bloomberg reported in November that Chinese policymakers were now weighing a new round of measures. Proposals include subsidising mortgage interest payments to lure back wary homebuyers into a market still in free fall. Other ideas being discussed include bigger income tax rebates for borrowers and lowering transaction fees on home sales.What’s at stake if China’s property market worsens?Government officials are clearly eager to bring the property crisis under control. They aim to limit the damage to developers and stem the bleeding to other vulnerable parts of the economy. This includes banks with heavy exposure to real estate; the construction industry, which employs 51mn people; and local governments that rely on land sales to developers to sustain their public spending.Chinese banks’ bad debt — loans they no longer expect to recover — hit a record 3.5tn yuan ($492bn) at the end of September. Fitch Ratings has warned the situation could deteriorate further in 2026 as households struggle to repay mortgages and other loans.A prolonged property slump could also deepen deflationary pressures. Former finance minister Lou Jiwei recently warned that households’ worsening outlook — driven by falling home values — will affect consumption levels and intensify price declines.According to economists at Morgan Stanley and Beijing-based think tank CF40, the property sector’s drag on inflation could even be greater than official data suggest. They argue that the methodology used to determine China’s official Consumer Price Index understates falling rents, and, by extension, the broader deflationary impact.

The global oil market faces an even bigger surplus next year of as much as 4.09mn barrels per day as Opec+ producers and rivals lift output and demand growth slows, the International Energy Agency said on Thursday.The outlook from the IEA, which advises industrialised countries, is the latest warning that the oil market is heading for oversupply. A surplus of 4.09mn bpd would be equal to almost 4% of world demand, and is much larger than other analysts’ predictions.“Global oil market balances are looking increasingly lopsided, as world oil supply is forging ahead while oil demand growth remains modest by historical standards,” the IEA said in its monthly report.Opec+, or the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries plus Russia and other allies, has been boosting output since April. Other producers, such as the US and Brazil, are also increasing supply, adding to glut fears and weighing on prices.Oil prices edged higher to around $63 a barrel after the IEA report to recoup some of the 2% drop on Wednesday after Opec shifted its 2026 outlook to a small surplus, having earlier seen a sizeable deficit.Global oil supply will grow by around 3.1mn bpd in 2025, and 2.5mn bpd next year, each up by around 100,000 bpd on the month, the IEA said.Supply is rising faster than demand in the IEA’s view even after upward revisions on Thursday. The agency now expects oil demand to rise by 770,000 bpd next year, up 70,000 bpd from last month, citing increased needs in petrochemical plants.The short-term outlook in the IEA’s monthly report contrasts with the agency’s annual outlook on Wednesday, which sees global oil and gas demand potentially rising until 2050.Opec sees a surplus of just 20,000 bpd next year according to Reuters calculations based on its own monthly oil market report on Wednesday, although this marks a further retreat from its forecast of a sizeable deficit.Global oil output was 6.2mn bpd higher in October than at the start of this year, divided evenly between Opec+ and non-Opec producers, the IEA said. Top Opec producer Saudi Arabia contributed 1.5mn bpd of the increase, while Russia added just 120,000 bpd amid sanctions and Ukrainian attacks.Russian oil exports have continued largely unabated despite new US sanctions on Russian firms Rosneft and Lukoil, which still may have the most far-reaching impact yet on global oil markets, the IEA said.The IEA added that new entities have already started handling Russian exports as it adapts to sanctions. In October, companies MorExport, RusExport and NNK, which have only been active since May, lifted around 1mn bpd of Russian crude and fuels, it said.The Paris-based IEA also drew attention to a sharp rise in global oil inventories, which rose to their highest since July 2021 in September at just under 8bn barrels.The increase was driven by a sharp increase in waterborne oil in storage, which rose by 80mn barrels in September.Preliminary October data shows further rises for global stocks, again driven by increasing waterborne barrels, the agency added.

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) moved up by 102.14 points or 0.9% to close at 11,058.78. Market capitalisation increased 0.6% to QR659.6bn from QR654.7bn at the end of the previous trading week. Of the 53 traded companies, 24 ended the week higher, 26 ended lower and three remained unchanged. Qatar General Insurance & Reinsurance Company (QGRI) was the best performing stock for the week, rising 18.1%. Meanwhile, QLM Life & Medical Insurance (QLMI) was the worst performing stock for the week, declining by 5.5%. Nakilat (QGTS), Qatar Islamic Bank (QIBK), and Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIK) were the main contributors to the weekly index rise. They added 31.17, 29.10 and 15.41 points to the index, respectively. **media[378932]** Traded value during the week increased 1.9% to QR1,678.5mn from QR1,647.3mn in the prior trading week. QNB Group (QNBK) was the top value traded stock during the week with total traded value of QR180.0mn. Traded volume rose by 6.8% to 588.6mn shares compared with 551.2mn shares in the prior trading week. The number of transactions went up by 25.0% to 118,262 vs. 94,631 in the prior week. Baladna (BLDN) was the top volume traded stock during the week with total traded volume of 120.4mn shares. Foreign institutions remained bullish, ending the week with net buying of QR95.0mn vs. net buying of QR188.8mn in the prior week. Qatari institutions remained bearish, with net selling of QR56.3mn vs net selling of QR102.2mn in the week before. Foreign retail investors ended the week with net selling of QR21.3mn vs net selling of QR8.0mn in the prior week. Qatari retail investors recorded net selling of QR17.4mn vs net selling of QR78.6mn. Global foreign institutions are net buyers of Qatari equities by $177mn YTD, while GCC institutions are net long by $162mn. QSE Index The QSE Index closed up by 1% from the week before; it closed at 11,058.9 points. The 11,000 level has proven to be a strong support and from the most recent movement, we could see further uptick in the near future as the uptrend continues with the breakout above the age-old price range. We also reiterate the fact that the recent correction has been healthy and could be used for accumulation. We keep our support level around the 11,000 level and the 12,200 level is our expected resistance. **media[378933]** DEFINITIONS OF KEY TERMS USED IN TECHNICAL ANALYSIS RSI (Relative Strength Index) indicator – RSI is a momentum oscillator that measures the speed and change of price movements. The RSI oscillates between 0 to 100. The index is deemed to be overbought once the RSI approaches the 70 level, indicating that a correction is likely. On the other hand, if the RSI approaches 30, it is an indication that the index may be getting oversold and therefore likely to bounce back. **media[378934]** MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence) indicator – The indicator consists of the MACD line and a signal line. The divergence or the convergence of the MACD line with the signal line indicates the strength in the momentum during the uptrend or downtrend, as the case may be. When the MACD crosses the signal line from below and trades above it, it gives a positive indication. The reverse is the situation for a bearish trend. **media[378935]** Candlestick chart – A candlestick chart is a price chart that displays the high, low, open, and close for a security. The ‘body’ of the chart is portion between the open and close price, while the high and low intraday movements form the ‘shadow’. The candlestick may represent any time frame. We use a one-day candlestick chart (every candlestick represents one trading day) in our analysis. **media[378936]** Doji candlestick pattern – A Doji candlestick is formed when a security's open and close are practically equal. The pattern indicates indecisiveness, and based on preceding price actions and future confirmation, may indicate a bullish or bearish trend reversal. **media[378937]** Shooting Star/Inverted Hammer candlestick patterns – These candlestick patterns have a small real body (open price and close price are near to each other), and a long upper shadow (large intraday movement on the upside). The Shooting Star is a bearish reversal pattern that forms after a rally. The Inverted Hammer looks exactly like a Shooting Star, but forms after a downtrend. Inverted Hammers represent a potential bullish trend reversal. **media[378938]** Disclaimer **media[378939]** This publication has been prepared by QNB Financial Services Co WLL (“QNBFS”) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qatar National Bank (QPSC). QNBFS is regulated by the Qatar Financial Markets Authority and the Qatar Exchange. Qatar National Bank (QPSC) is regulated by the Qatar Central Bank. This publication expresses the views and opinions of QNBFS at a given time only. It is not an offer, promotion or recommendation to buy or sell securities or other investments, nor is it intended to constitute legal, tax, accounting, or financial advice. Gulf Times and QNBFS accept no liability whatsoever for any direct or indirect losses arising from use of this report. **media[378941]** Any investment decision should depend on the individual circumstances of the investor and be based on specifically engaged investment advice. We therefore strongly advise potential investors to seek independent professional advice before making any investment decision.

Investors will seek clues about the health of the US economy in the coming week following worrisome labour market reports and technology-led turbulence that has knocked the stock market off record highs. The S&P 500 ended on Friday with a weekly decline after three straight weeks of gains. The benchmark index was last down about 2.4% from its all-time closing peak on October 28 even after a generally strong third-quarter earnings season for large US companies. This week, concerns about expensive equity valuations, especially for high-flying stocks linked to enthusiasm over artificial intelligence, were exacerbated by tepid jobs data, including a report that showed surging layoff announcements from US employers.Alternative data released by private sector bodies have become more important for investors because the US federal shutdown that began on October 1 has limited government releases."We're not getting a lot of economic data," said Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. "At current valuations and the kind of gains that we've seen... investors are just starting to be a little bit more cautious. I don't think that is bad, but it is coming at a time where there is growing uncertainty around the pace of growth in the economy."Investors were gauging whether the pullback in equities represented profit-taking and a healthy reset after an extended climb, or the start of a more severe slide. Fears that stocks are in an "AI bubble" have kept Wall Street on edge, with the benchmark S&P 500 up 14% year-to-date and 35% since its low for the year in April.The S&P 500 technology sector, which has led the bull market that began more than three years ago, has been hit harder in this latest drawdown, falling about 6% since last week. A series of reports on Thursday suggested deteriorating US labour market conditions. Data from workforce analytics company Revelio Labs showed 9,100 jobs were lost in October, while US employers' planned layoffs soared to over 153,000 last month, global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said. The Chicago Fed estimated that the US jobless rate likely edged up in October to the highest in four years.That data came a day after the ADP National Employment Report showed private employment rebounded by 42,000 jobs in October.The Challenger layoffs report, combined with the lack of government jobs data, "raises a red flag in terms of whether or not the labour market has really stabilised," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital Securities in New York.Next week would have been a busy week of economic data, with government reports due on consumer and producer prices and retail sales. Those releases are poised to be delayed due to the shutdown. Investors will instead seek insight on the economy from traditionally more secondary reports, including the small business optimism index due to be released on Tuesday by the National Federation of Independent Business.As investors weighed the economic impact of the shutdown, the US transportation secretary warned on Friday the government could force airlines to cut up to 20% of flights if the shutdown did not end.The lack of government data is muddying the outlook for the Fed, which must decide whether to cut interest rates again at its next policy meeting in December. After the central bank eased by a quarter percentage point for a second straight meeting on October 29, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said another such reduction was not a foregone conclusion."The Fed needs help trying to figure out what's going on in the jobs market. They're getting seemingly conflicting signals and what they decide to do in December has ramifications obviously for the stock market," said Chuck Carlson, chief executive officer at Horizon Investment Services. Fed funds futures late on Friday were pricing in a roughly 65% chance of a rate cut in December. Before Powell's October comments, investors had viewed such a cut as almost a done deal.Investors were watching for developments that might suggest the end of the shutdown, which this week became the longest in US history. Focus was also on remaining high-profile quarterly reports, as a stellar earnings season in general nears a close. With 446 companies in the index having reported, 82.5% posted profits above analyst expectations, which would be the highest beat rate since the second quarter of 2021, LSEG IBES said on Friday. Reports due next week include Walt Disney and tech stalwart Cisco Systems. Those lead up to the quarterly report the following week from semiconductor firm Nvidia, the largest company in the world by market value that has symbolised investor enthusiasm for AI."I would just expect a little bit more volatility around technology leaders and technology as a whole heading into that Nvidia report," Saglimbene said.

The stock market didn’t crash this week. But after a seven-month spasm of retail-borne speculation, parts of the casino started clearing out.Cracks emerged across the risk-on landscape as bloated valuations and fresh doubts over the real-world payoff of artificial intelligence dragged US tech stocks to their worst week since April. Losses in megacaps like Palantir Technologies Inc and Oracle Corp. rippled through leveraged ETF and meme trades.The clearest signal of speculative distress: The crypto engine is sputtering. After a parabolic surge, Bitcoin and its peers have endured a violent unwinding that shattered confidence. This week, the coin slid repeatedly toward $100,000 amid a drought of ready buyers who had watched billions of dollars in leveraged positions get wiped out just weeks earlier — a shock the market has yet to recover from.Wall Street veterans have been warning for weeks that AI-fuelled tech valuations were outpacing fundamentals. That caution is now showing up in the same fast-moving trades where retail and institutional risk-taking had quietly converged — from upside-levered ETFs to crypto wrappers. Inflows haven’t vanished, but the payoff is no longer one-way.Peter Atwater, a professor of behavioural economics at the College of William & Mary, says the biggest blow yet to gambler spirits came Monday, when despite beating earnings forecasts Palantir saw its stock fall 8% the next day. The company, trading at a price-earnings multiple in the hundreds, is a bellwether for both hyperscaler tech and meme sentiment, he said.“It sits in the same neighbourhood as AI, as crypto,” he said. “Thematically, all of these different elements have the same intense-confidence correlation. These are all crowd favourites. So this is a crowd phenomenon.”The pullback isn’t universal. But for the first time in months, the speculative surge that once moved in near-lockstep is fragmenting. In equities, some high-octane trades are unravelling. A Meta Platforms Inc-linked ETF fell 8.5% this week and another focused on Palantir shed 22%. A Strategy Inc-minded product has slid more than 20%. Leveraged quantum and Super Micro Computer Inc. trades buckled, too.The group of tech giants known as the Magnificent Seven dropped 3% this week amid questions over their spending plans tied to AI infrastructure. A comment from OpenAI Inc’s CFO about the possibility of the government needing to “backstop” financing further grated nerves.“If you watch this week, there’s been a decided negative bias to what people are saying about AI,” Atwater said. “If we see the mood deteriorate, the scepticism should rise, the scrutiny should intensify. And those would be behaviours that ultimately limit the potential of the market to bounce.”Over the past week, indexes tracking meme stocks, non-profitable tech companies and recent IPOs all pulled back. An ETF focused on recent market entrants fell 5%, the most since September, while a basket of non-profitable names within the innovation space dropped 7%, the most since August.Meanwhile, more than $700mn has been pulled from digital-asset ETFs over the past week alone, including nearly $600mn from BlackRock’s Bitcoin fund and $370mn from its Ether counterpart. Solana and Dogecoin-linked products are down double-digits since their recent launches. Even the freshly minted MEME ETF — pitched as a retail sentiment play — is off more than 20% since its launch a month ago.“Investors are on edge,” said Stephen Kolano, chief investment officer at Integrated Partners. “Seems like the profit taking is coming from the things that have run the most since early April which is AI and anything connected with it which explains the pressure in” cryptocurrencies.That shift may matter beyond the meme complex. Retail risk appetite — from prediction markets and tokenised assets to Robinhood Markets Inc.’s fresh boom — helped fuel 2025’s bounce across broad markets despite stress on the tariff and labour market front. But now, with the gap between winners and losers rising and some risky trades draining capital, liquidity could be getting tighter at the edges.None of this signals a broader crash. The S&P 500 is off just 2% from recent highs. But for a crowd used to buying the everything-goes-up narrative, this week lands differently: Timing matters again. The tide may not be lifting all boats. Leverage cuts both ways.Bitcoin’s 15% slide over the past month is raising eyebrows not just for its scale, but its timing. A growing camp of Wall Street analysts now sees the token as a lead indicator for both high-volatility tech stocks and retail-driven liquidity. Among the chief concerns flagged in recent days is that so-called whales — investors who hold large, long-term positions — have been declining, according to Citi. This cohort has in the past tended to hold onto their hoards even during the roughest of declines.“Bitcoin has a knack for sniffing out things ahead of time,” said Bloomberg Intelligence’s Eric Balchunas. “It’s always trading, so there’s a lot of chances for it to be a price-discovery vehicle. It’s open all the time — like a 7-Eleven. And the people who trade Bitcoin are perpetually online and so plugged in.”The reversal is especially striking given the political momentum behind digital assets. Bitcoin’s early-year surge was powered in part by President Donald Trump’s campaign to rebrand the US as the crypto capital of the world. But after peaking near $4.4tn in October, the total market cap of digital tokens has since dropped nearly 20%, wiping out most of 2025’s gains. For traders betting that regulatory clarity would unleash a new supercycle, the speed of the comedown has been sobering.“There’s simply not enough new capital to offset locals exiting. Too many in the industry just can’t stomach another crypto cycle — they’ve had enough, both financially and emotionally,” Marex’s Ilan Solot wrote in a note this week. “For the uptrend to resume, the whales need to stop selling. Stabilising ETF flows would help too.”

The Qatari German Medical Devices (QGMD) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dawa Holdi Egypt and Dawa USA, as part of its strategy to strengthen its regional and international presence.This partnership aims to introduce the company’s products to the Egyptian market to meet essential medical needs, localise their manufacturing in Egypt, and expand across the African continent through the marketing and distribution of medical products.The MoU also seeks to increase the volume of Qatari exports to European and American markets, the company said in its regulatory filing with the Qatar Stock Exchange.QGMD affirms that this step comes as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance its operational and financial performance, in a way that positively reflects on its shareholders and strengthens its position in the medical manufacturing sector at both the regional and global levels.

The price of gold in the Qatari market declined by 4.39 percent over the past week, reaching USD 3,931.97000 per ounce, according to data released by Qatar National Bank (QNB). QNB data showed that the price of gold decreased from USD 4,112.68700 recorded last Sunday.As for other precious metals, silver fell by 2.28 percent on a weekly basis to reach USD 47.52000 per ounce, down from USD 48.63250 at the start of the week. Platinum fell by 1.18 percent, reaching USD 1,594.60000 per ounce, compared to USD 1613.80040 at the beginning of the week.

Visit Qatar is set to participate in the World Travel Market (WTM) 2025, from Nov 4–6 at ExCeL London, leading a delegation of 48 partners, including hotels, resorts, and destination management companies.As one of the world’s leading global travel and tourism exhibitions, WTM serves as a strategic platform to spotlight Qatar’s diverse tourism offering, strengthen partnerships, and attract new business and investment opportunities in line with the country’s national tourism strategy.Visit Qatar will present the country’s expanding tourism ecosystem within the dedicated Qatar Pavilion, located at Stand S8-210.The Qatar Pavilion will feature a two-level design covering 700sq m with an additional 150sq m mezzanine, offering engaging spaces for networking and business meetings.The stand will immerse visitors in Qatar’s rich culture and modern experiences through a series of creative activations and showcases.Highlights include a range of engaging and interactive activations including a dedicated cultural zone featuring live demonstrations of calligraphy, Kohl and perfume making, offering visitors an authentic glimpse into Qatari traditions and craftsmanship. Guests will also enjoy a taste of Qatari hospitality through the Qinwan coffee and dates experience.To further enhance visitor engagement, a special 4D immersive activation will bring Meryal Waterpark to life through multi-sensory visual, audio, and water effects, providing an exhilarating preview of one of Qatar’s newest attractions. In addition, a dedicated Qatar Calendar showcase will offer insights into the country’s upcoming events, festivals, and cultural celebrations throughout the year.

South Korea's central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged Thursday to maintain financial stability amid a red-hot housing market and a weakening currency. In a widely expected decision, the Monetary Policy Board of the Bank of Korea (BOK) held its key rate steady at 2.5% during its rate-setting meeting in Seoul. But its policy room has been limited as surging home prices in Seoul and nearby areas have fueled household debt. The government has rolled out a series of measures to cool the real estate market. Most recently, the government designated 21 additional districts in Seoul as speculative zones, bringing all 25 districts in the capital under tougher regulations. The local currency has fallen well below 1,420 per dollar, its lowest level in months, amid the continued strength of the US dollar and uncertainties surrounding tariff negotiations with the United States, and a rate cut could further weaken the won and trigger capital outflows. The local currency opened at 1,431.8 per dollar Thursday, down 2 won from the previous session. Thursday's decision left the gap between South Korea's and the US' key interest rates at up to 1.75 percentage points. At its September meeting, the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark rate.

Minister of Labour of the Arab Republic of Egypt Mohamed Abdel Aziz Gibran discussed with His Excellency Mohamed bin Ahmed Al Obaidli, Board Member of the Qatar Chamber, ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the economic and investment fields and to encourage Qatari investors to enter the Egyptian market. The two sides also reviewed Egypt's labor law during the meeting and explored mechanisms to overcome challenges facing investors in the Egyptian labor market. During the discussions, he reviewed the latest amendments to the Egyptian Labour Law, which include the establishment of an emergency fund to support workers and struggling companies, as well as the creation of an entity dedicated to training and upgrading workers' skills. He noted that the new law aims to foster a stimulating work environment conducive to investment and to support a secure and stable investment climate in Egypt. The meeting also reviewed the outcomes of the Minister's recent visit to Qatar, during which he met with representatives of the Qatari private sector. The visit resulted in positive understandings aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of labor, training, and employment. For his part, Al Obaidli praised the deep fraternal relations between Qatar and Egypt, affirming the Qatar Chamber's keenness to expand cooperation between the two countries across economic, commercial, and investment domains.

The US dollar index edged lower on Wednesday after a three-day rally, as the greenback retreated during Asian trading amid market volatility triggered by a sharp fall in gold prices, which rebalanced flows across safe-haven assets. The dollar was last down 0.1% at 151.74 yen, after data showed that Japan's exports rose in September for the first time in five months. The dollar index, which measures the performance of the US currency against six major peers, stood at 98.84, down 0.1%. The euro rose 0.1% to $1.1613, while the pound sterling was steady at $1.3379. The Australian dollar gained 0.2% to $0.6503, and the New Zealand dollar also advanced 0.2% to $0.5753.

Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA) has announced the adoption and launch of a new trading surveillance system on the financial market, which aims to enhance the efficiency of surveillance operations, protect market dealers and ensure the application of the highest standards of transparency and integrity. The announcement came on the sidelines of QFMA's participation in the Nasdaq Surveillance Conference which was held in Toronto, Canada with an official delegation headed by His Excellency Chief Executive Officer of QFMA Dr. Tamy Bin Ahmad Al Binali. QFMA explained that the new trading surveillance system was implemented by Nasdaq, a global leader in financial technology solutions and market surveillance systems. The new system will position QFMA alongside its global peers in the field of financial market surveillance. It will also enhance the QFMA's efforts to swiftly and smoothly detect any suspicious transactions or unusual transactions. Furthermore, parts of the new system have been developed using artificial intelligence-based software, making QFMA one of the first financial market regulators to use artificial intelligence in trading surveillance operations, thus increasing investor confidence in the Qatari financial market. The adoption and launch of this system are part of QFMA's strategic initiatives to develop the technical and regulatory infrastructure in financial markets, in line with global developments in the industry, and support the goals of building a developed and secure financial market in the State of Qatar. Nasdaq Surveillance Conference is a leading global forum for market surveillance professionals. This conference brings together senior executives, regulators, and industry experts to discuss emerging trends, regulatory challenges, and the latest technological advancements in the industry. The conference agenda includes interactive discussions featuring global experts from various countries, working sessions, and case studies, during which participants exchanged experiences that can contribute to strategic decision-making in the financial sector. Key themes discussed at the conference include "Surveillance at the speed of Change", "Global Regulatory Outlook", "Surveillance Lessons from Market Volatility events", "Deep Dives: Real Challenges, Real Solutions", "The AI Tipping Point in Surveillance", and "Future Casting: Surveillance by Design in 2030". In addition to the formal program, the conference features curated networking events designed to foster collaboration among peers, enable participants to build strategic partnerships and share best practices and experiences in the financial sector. The QFMA's participation in the conference provides a favorable opportunity to strengthen its global connections and enhance its regulatory strategies under which it operates. This will position it at the forefront of regulatory excellence and enhance its efforts in shaping a robust market infrastructure and staying ahead in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.