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The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Tuesday declined more than 28 points on selling pressure especially in the telecom and real estate sectors.The foreign institutions were seen increasingly into net selling as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.27% to 10,425.3 points, although it reached an intraday high of 10,461 points.As much as 72% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR2.19bn or 0.35% to QR617.39bn primarily on the back of mid and microcap segments.The Arab individuals were increasingly net profit takers in the main market, which saw as many as 0.03mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.08mn change hands across seven deals.The Islamic index was seen declining faster the other indices of the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decrease.The foreign retail investors turned bearish in the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The domestic institutions’ weakened net buying had its influence in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index lost 0.27%, the All Islamic Index by 0.28% and the All Share Index by 0.25% in the main market.The telecom sector index tanked 1.43%, realty (0.59%), banks and financial services (0.25%), consumer goods and services (0.25%), transport (0.2%) and industrials (0.03%); while insurance gained 0.29%.Major shakers in the main bourse included Ooredoo, Ezdan, Salam International Investment, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Barwa and Mazaya Qatar. In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution, Inma Holding, Estithmar Holding, Qatar Insurance and Qamco were among the gainers in the main market. In the junior bourse, Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.The foreign institutions’ net profit booking increased noticeably to QR13.37mn compared to QR8.81mn on November 18.The Arab individual investors’ net selling expanded markedly to QR7.29mn against QR0.64mn the previous day.The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking grew notably to QR2.06mn compared to QR0.53mn on Monday.The foreign retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.57mn against net buyers of QR2.46mn on November 18.The domestic institutions’ net buying decreased substantially to QR12.85mn compared to QR24.02mn the previous day.However, the Qatari individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR12.46mn against net sellers of QR12.77mn on Monday.The Gulf retail investors’ net profit booking weakened perceptibly to QR2.05mn compared to QR3.75mn on November 18.The Arab institutions had not major net exposure for the second straight session.Trade volumes in the main market were down 1% to 107.71mn shares, value by 16% to QR257.22mn and transactions by 23% to 10,184.In the venture market, trade volumes shot up 36-fold to 2.88mn equities and value by almost 34-fold to QR7.19mn on more than seven-fold jump in deals to 124.

Reflecting the gains in the world oil markets, the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Monday rose about 43 points on the back of buying interests, especially in the banks, real estate and telecom counters.The domestic institutions were increasingly net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index gained 0.41% to 10,453.36 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,414 points.The foreign funds’ weakened net profit booking had its effect in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR3.75bn or 0.61% to QR619.58bn primarily on the back of small and microcap segments.The foreign individuals continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the main market, which saw as many as 0.01mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.06mn change hands across four deals.The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices of the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The local individual investors were seen increasingly bearish in the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Gulf retail investors were increasingly into net profit booking in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index gained 0.41%, the All Islamic Index by 0.14% and the All Share Index by 0.48% in the main market.The banks and financial services group index jumped 0.85%, realty (0.78%), telecom (0.59%), consumer goods and services (0.23%) and transport (0.13%); while insurance declined 0.53% and industrials 0.09%.Major movers in the main bourse included Ezdan, QNB, Commercial Bank, Barwa and Baladna. In the venture market, both Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares appreciate in value.Nevertheless, as much as 56% of the traded constituents were in the red with major losers being Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Qatar German Medical Devices, Widam Food, Qatar Electricity and Water and Estithmar Holding.The domestic institutions’ net buying increased substantially to QR24.02mn compared to QR13.91mn on November 17.The foreign institutions’ net profit booking decreased significantly to QR8.81mn against QR20.43mn the previous day.However, the Qatari individuals’ net selling expanded markedly to QR12.77mn compared to QR2.19mn on Sunday.The Gulf retail investors’ net profit booking grew noticeably to QR3.75mn against QR0.07mn on November 17.The Arab individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR0.64mn compared with net buyers of QR3.31mn the previous day.The Gulf institutions turned net profit takers to the tune of QR0.53mn against net buyers of QR0.57mn on Sunday.The foreign retail investors’ net buying weakened notably to QR2.46mn compared to QR4.91mn on November 17.The Arab institutions had not major net exposure against net profit takers to the tune of QR0.02mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market soared 15% to 108.82mn shares, value by 44% to QR307.17mn and transactions by 70% to 13,199.The venture market saw 43% plunge in trade volumes to 0.08mn equities, 42% in value to QR0.21mn and 55% in deals to 17.

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, according to Standard and Poor's (S&P).Highlighting that in the recent years, Qatar's authorities have aimed to reduce the level of external debt; S&P 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. This year, 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, S&P said in its recent report.Adding the borrowings of the country’s sovereign wealth fund, QIA or Qatar Investment Authority, equivalent to 6% of GDP to the direct government debt, the rating agency said it estimates general government debt to be 48% of GDP at year-end 2024 (versus 50% of GDP in 2023).S&P also expect this will fall to about 33% by 2027 in line with the government's debt-repayment strategy and significant increase in the nominal GDP."Continued debt reduction and an expected increase in revenue from higher gas production related to the NFE will keep average debt-servicing costs below 5% of general government revenue," it said.The country's strong general government net asset position (which it forecasts will average 125% of GDP over 2024-27) remains a credit strength, supported by investment returns on QIA's investments.Sizeable assets accumulated within the QIA will also continue to support Qatar's strong aggregate external net asset position in 2024-27, it said, adding despite this, Qatar stands out in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as having a "significant" amount of net external banking sector liabilities, which keep external financing needs high and pose a potential funding risk for the system.Regulatory directives introduced by the Qatar Central Bank in 2022 initially prompted a substantial ($23bn) reduction in potentially riskier non-resident deposit funding from year-end 2021 to August 2024. However, a jump in interbank liabilities ($8bn in the same period) partially offset the decline in non-resident deposits."Despite the increase in recent months, we expect the banking sector's external debt to broadly stabilize because we expect domestic funding sources should be able to fund the credit growth, which we believe will slow to average 5% over 2024-27 versus 11% on average during 2019-22," S&P said.

The Middle East and North Africa or Mena region witnessed a total of 522 merger and acquisition (M&A) deals valued at $71bn in the first nine months (9M) of 2024 and is expected to close the year with more than 700 deals, close to five-year high of 750 deals, according to EY.The deal volume this year grew by 9%, while deal value saw a 7% rise on an annualised basis, EY said in its latest report."The Mena M&A market is extremely buoyant and we expect to end the year with more than 700 deals, which will be very close to the historic five-year high of 750 deals. This is a remarkable achievement in the context of uncertain geopolitics and higher cost of capital," said Anil Menon, EY Mena Head of M&A and Equity Capital Markets Leader.Cross-border M&As played a significant role, contributing 52% of the overall volume and 73% of the value in 9M-2024, it said, adding meanwhile, domestic M&A value increased year-on-year (y-o-y) by 44% to $19.3bn, primarily driven by government-related entities transactions in the oil and gas, metals and mining and chemicals sectors. Domestic M&A activity accounted for 48% of the total number of deals.The US remained the preferred target destination for Mena investors with 32 deals amounting to $18.3bn. With the US-UAE Business Council playing an active role in promoting partnerships, prominent US companies are collaborating with the UAE public and private sector stakeholders on various initiatives.The UAE and Saudi Arabia were the preferred destinations for investors due to their favourable business policies, with 239 deals with a combined value of $24.5bn. They were also among the top Mena bidder countries in terms of deal volume and value, representing 52% and 81% of the total respectively.Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs), such as Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and Mubadala from the UAE and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) from Saudi Arabia, continued to lead the deal activity in the region to support their countries’ economic strategies."Deal activity in the Mena region has seen a notable improvement this year, driven by strategic policy shifts, the liberalisation of investment regulations and robust capital inflows from investors. With companies actively seeking opportunities to grow and diversify their operations, we have observed a surge in cross-border M&A volume and value," said Brad Watson, EY Mena Strategy and Transactions Leader.Ten of the Mena region’s highest-valued M&As during 9M-2024 were concentrated in the GCC, it said, adding insurance and oil and gas were the most attractive sectors for investors in the review period, representing 34% of total deal value.With Mena emerging as one of the most attractive destinations for foreign direct investment, inbound deals rose by 20% y-o-y in volume. Meanwhile, deal value surged by 47% y-o-y during 9M-2024. The first three quarters of 2024 saw 127 inbound deals valued at $10.4bn.The US and the UK together accounted for 42% of total inbound M&A activity. The technology and professional firms and services sectors reported the highest deal volume and value, contributing 48% and 39% respectively.The US contributed 33% of the total deal volume in these sectors, with 80% of these deals being partnerships with the UAE.

Global oil market apprehensions and concerns on the key US economic data had their reflection in the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), which saw its key index plummet 113 points and capitalisation erode QR7.57bn as three-fourth of traded constituents were in the red this week.The foreign funds were seen net profit takers as the 20-stock Qatar Index knocked off 1.07% this week which saw QSE showcase listed companies in New York and said foreign institutional investors are increasingly looking at it with them typically accounting for 30-40% of average daily turnover in the recent past.The industrials and consumer goods and services sectors witnessed higher than average selling pressure this week which saw Aamal Company assume full ownership of Advanced Pipes and Casts.The Gulf institutions turned bearish in the main market this week which saw an agreement between Milaha and Qatar Free Zones Authority relating to QR80mn Yachts and Ships Yard at Marsa Port in Umm Alhoul Free Zone.The Arab funds were seen net profit takers, albeit at lower levels, in the main bourse this week which saw Mekdam Holding Group receive a letter of award for a contract worth QR181mn from the country's hydrocarbon behemoth QatarEnergy.The Arab individuals’ weakened net buying had its influence in the main market this week which saw Qatar's banking sector’s total assets reach QR2.03tn in September 2024, an increase of 1.2% month-on-month and 2.9% year-on-year.However, the domestic funds were seen net buyers in the main bourse this week which saw the global credit rating agency Standard and Poor's view that banks in the Gulf Cooperation Council region are expected to do well and be profitable in 2025 amidst lower interest rates.The local retail investors turned bullish in the main market this week, which saw the Qatar Central Bank assistant governor Hamad Ahmed al-Mulla reveal that the country's Islamic banking assets total QR576bn in September.The Gulf individuals were seen net buyers in the main bourse this week which saw a total of 0.12mn Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored exchange-traded fund QATR worth QR0.28mn trade across 34 deals.The foreign retail investors’ weakened net selling had its impact in the main market this week which saw as many as 0.01mn Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR0.06mn change hands across seven transactions.The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the other indices in the main market this week which saw the industrials and banking sectors together constitute more than 53% of the total trade volumes.Market capitalisation eroded 1.21% to QR619.51bn on the back of large and midcap segments this week, which saw no trading of treasury bills.Trade turnover and volumes were on the increase in both the main and venture markets this week, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index shed 1.07%, the All Share Index by 1.03% and the All Islamic Index by 0.96% this week which saw the Institute of International Finance forecast Qatar’s public foreign assets to reach $500bn or 240% of gross domestic product by 2025.The industrials sector index tanked 2.04%, consumer goods and services (1.09%), real estate (1.05%), banks and financial services (0.81%), insurance (0.66%) and transport (0.6%); while telecom was up 0.07% this week.Major losers in the main bourse included Al Faleh Educational Holding, Qatar German Medical Devices, Industries Qatar, Commercial Bank, Dlala, QNB, QIIB, Dukhan Bank, Woqod, Baladna, Meeza, Qatar National Cement, Qatar Electricity and Water, Gulf International Services, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qamco, Qatar Insurance, Ezdan, Mazaya Qatar and Nakilat. In the venture market, Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value this week.Nevertheless, Widam Food, Doha Bank, Al Khaleej Takaful, Gulf Warehousing and Doha Insurance were among the gainers in the main market. In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares appreciate in value this week.The foreign funds were net sellers to the tune of QR200.48mn against net buyers of QR53.37mn the week ended November 7.The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the extent of QR51.1mn compared with net buyers of QR5.34mn a week ago.The Arab institutions were net profit takers to the tune of QR0.03mn against no major net exposure the previous week.The Arab individuals’ net buying decreased noticeably to QR10.35mn compared to QR15.83mn the week ended November 7.However, the domestic funds turned net buyers to the extent of QR191.34mn against net sellers of QR10.72mn a week ago.The local retail investors were net buyers to the tune of QR47.45mn compared with net sellers of QR45.03mn the previous week.The Gulf individuals turned net buyers to the extent of QR3.03mn against net sellers of QR2.11mn the week ended November 7.The foreign retail investors’ net profit booking weakened markedly to QR0.55mn compared to QR16.67mn a week ago.The main market witnessed a 51% surge in trade volumes to 707.16mn shares and 93% in value to QR2bn on more than doubled deals to 75,873 this week.In the venture market, trade volumes more than doubled to 3.91mn equities and value more than doubled to QR9.5mn transactions more than doubled to 310.

Qatar, which is seeking to cement its position in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market, is expected to see its public foreign assets reach $500bn by 2025, according to the Institute of International Finance (IIF)."The current account and fiscal balances will remain in large surpluses, leading to further accumulation of public foreign assets, which could increase to about $500bn, equivalent to 240% of GDP (gross domestic product), by end-2025," the Washington-based economic think-tank said in its latest report.Highlighting that 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 massive investment in the natural gas sector is underway to expand LNG production.QatarEnergy had early this year announced that it is proceeding with a new LNG expansion project, the "North Field West” project, to further raise the country's LNG production capacity to 142mn tonnes per year before the end of this decade, representing an increase of almost 85% from current production levels.Qatar’s long-term LNG contracts are linked to crude oil prices and such an expansion in gas production would lower the fiscal and external breakeven oil prices from around $45 per barrel in 2023 to $33 by 2025, IIF said.IIF also said Qatar’s non-hydrocarbon real GDP growth moderated after hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Substantial public infrastructure investment on ports, roads, metro, and airports since 2011 set the stage for economic diversification, the report said.Nonetheless, challenges remain to move to a sustained higher non-hydrocarbon growth driven by the private sector as envisaged in the Qatar’s National Vision 2030, it said."We expect non-hydrocarbon growth to remain below 1% due to weaker private consumption and investment," it said.According to IIF, the GCC countries have navigated the global landscape and the conflict in the Middle East "quite well".However, the large current account and fiscal surpluses that helped cushion past shocks have started to narrow, amid falling oil revenues and large investment-related imports needed to diversify their economies away from oil."In our baseline scenario, which assumes no disruption of oil exports from the region, average oil prices could decline from $80 per barrel in 2024 to $70 in 2025," it said.Considerable progress has been made in improving the business climate, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE — which, combined, account for 75% of total GCC output. Progress has been made in diversifying GCC economies away from oil, as signalled by the steady decline in the share of the hydrocarbon sector’s contribution to real GDP from 36% in 2015 to 30% in 2024."Digitalisation and AI (artificial intelligence) continue to play a key role in the economic diversification strategy," IIF said.

Doha has identified six critical factors, which include national innovation strategy, high research and development level and diverse funding options for SMEs or small and medium enterprises, for establishing and maintaining a successful startup ecosystem, according to Invest Qatar."By examining the key elements of leading global startup ecosystems, we can identify several critical factors and policies essential for establishing and maintaining a successful ecosystem," Invest Qatar said in a report.Highlighting that the critical factors also include talent and startup attraction strategies, an entrepreneurial culture and robust support systems; it said "for any startup ecosystem to thrive, it must be built on these foundational elements."Stressing that the development of Qatar’s startup ecosystem is an ongoing process, continuously evolving to match global standards; it said public and private stakeholders are committed to improving the foundational elementsof the ecosystem, including education, R&D, funding, support systems and entrepreneurship competitions.Findung that Qatar’s startup ecosystem is a vital engine of economic development and diversification, it said the efforts of entrepreneurs, academic and research entities, and public and private sectors have "significantly" strengthened the ecosystem in recent years.This progress is evident in the well-connected and established network of startups that is now poised to capitalise on numerous opportunities for growth and success, it said, citing a prime example of “Startup Qatar” initiative.This initiative provides a comprehensive support to startups, offering resources such as funding, business setup and registration support, access to information and other support services.By enhancing the local business environment and attracting foreign direct investment, “Startup Qatar” aims to aid the growth of new ventures and position the country as a key player in the global startup landscape."This initiative underscores the significant progress Qatar has made in fostering entrepreneurship and developing a robust startup sector," it said.

Foreign institutional investors are increasingly penetrating the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), typically accounting for 30%-40% of average daily turnover in the recent past and continue to have an active presence in the QSE, which is becoming an investment destination in view of the country embarking on a new phase of growth driven by the proposed North Field expansion.This was the message conveyed by top QSE officials to international investment managers at a roadshow in New York, hosted at the Bank of America’s offices. The roadshow was part of the QSE’s strategy to expand its investor base, attract further foreign investment and showcase the strength and potential of Qatar’s capital markets.The bourse led a delegation of its leading listed companies such as QNB, Commercial Bank of Qatar, Qatar Islamic Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Industries Qatar, Gulf International Services and Qamco, Qatar Insurance, Milaha and Nakilat.The roadshow offers the US investors an opportunity to expand their relationship with Qatar as an investment destination and strengthen their understanding of investment opportunities with Qatar’s leading companies. It also reflects the increased penetration of foreign institutional investors into Qatar’s capital markets."The QSE’s and our listed companies' commitment to ongoing outreach is part of a long-term commitment. In fact, the Third Financial Sector Strategy enshrines internationalisation as one of its key objectives," QSE acting chief executive officer Abdulaziz Nasser al-Emadi said."This covers not just equity investors but also fixed income investors as well as the regional and global market participants who provide the international connectivity that has been such an important part of Qatar’s overall growth. The two go hand-in-hand with increased awareness, requiring further development of market access and market infrastructure that will make portfolio investment more efficient," he added.Post World Cup and its related infrastructure build-out, he said Qatar is embarking on a new phase of growth driven by the proposed North Field expansion, which will increase liquefied natural gas production capacity to 142mn tonnes per annum by 2030, an 85% increase.According Standard & Poor's (S&P), an international credit rating agency, Qatar's LNG production increase would imply demand for additional exports, particularly to Europe and enhancing of the country's per capita income to above $80,000.Qatar derives about 40% of its GDP or gross domestic product, 80% of government revenue, and 90% of exports from the hydrocarbon sector. As a result, S&P forecasts the country's strong fiscal and current account surpluses will persist in 2024-27, based on a Brent oil price assumption of $81 per barrel (/bbl) in 2024 and $75/bbl in 2025-2027, together with expected increases in LNG production capacity by 2027.

Ahead of the US inflation data, the Qatar Stock Exchange on Wednesday continued to be in the negative trajectory with its key index losing more than 38 points as majority of the traded constituents were in the red.The real estate, industrials, telecom and transport counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index knocked off 0.36% to 10,420.04 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,495 points.The foreign individuals were seen net profit takers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR1.82bn or 0.29% to QR618.4bn primarily on the back of small and microcap segments.The domestic institutions’ weakened net buying had its influence on the main market, which saw as many as 0.05mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.14mn change hands across 16 deals.The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the other indices of the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decrease.The local individual investors’ lower net buying had its say in the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The foreign funds continued to be bearish but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index shed 0.36%, the All Islamic Index by 0.64% and the All Share Index by 0.19% in the main market.The realty sector index tanked 1%, industrials (0.92%), telecom (0.78%) and transport (0.55%); while insurance gained 0.26%, banks and financial services (0.22%) and consumer goods and services (0.04%).As much as 68% of the traded constituents were in the red with major losers being Ezdan, Aamal Company, Gulf Warehousing, Commercial Bank, Industries Qatar, QIIB, Qatar German Medical Devices, Medicare Group, Baladna and Qamco.Nevertheless, Doha Bank, Mekdam Holding, QNB, Meeza and Doha Insurance were among the gainers in the main bourse.In the venture market, both Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares appreciate in value.The foreign retail investors were net sellers to the tune of QR5.32mn compared with net buyers of QR5.31mn on November 12.The domestic institutions’ net buying declined significantly to QR31.34mn against QR56.65mn the previous day.The Qatari individuals’ net buying weakened perceptibly to QR25.94mn compared to QR28.13mn on Tuesday.The Arab retail investors’ net buying shrank markedly to QR2.32mn against QR9.33mn on November 12.The Gulf individual investors’ net buying eased marginally to QR0.2mn compared to QR0.93mn the previous day.However, the foreign institutions’ net selling decreased substantially to QR40.23mn against QR60.26mn on Tuesday.The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking declined noticeably to QR14.25mn compared to QR40.08mn on November 12.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the eighth straight session.Trade volumes in the main market fell 16% to 132.61mn shares, value by 22% to QR362.1mn and transactions by 7% to 15,388.In the venture market, trade volumes more than tripled to 0.67mn equities and value also more than tripled to QR1.62mn on more than doubled deals to 81.

Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) and Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) College of Law, in collaboration with Lexis Nexis, held a successful event focused on the role of international commercial courts in resolving digital technology disputes.As part of the QICDRC-HBKU Lecture Series under a MoU, the event brought together legal experts, academics, and practitioners to discuss how international commercial courts manage digital disputes and leverage digital technologies in their proceedings.The session also explored whether these courts are the most suitable for digital technology-related disputes compared to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and online dispute resolution (ODR) methods.

Reflecting the apprehensions in the global oil market and ahead of the key US economic data, the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Tuesday saw its key index plummet 147 points and market capitalisation erode QR8bn.The foreign institutions were increasingly net profit takers as the 20-stock Qatar Index tanked 1.38% to 10,458.21 points, although the index touched an intraday high of 10,578 points.The industrials and banking counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened further to 3.44%.The Gulf funds turned net sellers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted 1.27% to QR620.22bn primarily on the back of large cap segments.However, the domestic institutions were seen increasingly bullish in the main market, which saw no trading of exchange traded funds.The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the other indices of the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The local individual investors were increasingly net buyers in the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Arab retail investors were also increasingly net buyers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index shed 1.38%, the All Islamic Index by 1.01% and the All Share Index by 1.34% in the main market.The industrials sector index tanked 2.07%, banks and financial services (1.46%), consumer goods and services (0.9%), transport (0.63%), insurance (0.41%) and telecom (0.4%); while real estate was up 0.05%.As much as 62% of the traded constituents were in the red with major losers being Industries Qatar, QNB, Qatar Electricity and Water, Gulf International Services, Dlala, Qatar Islamic Bank, Dukhan Bank, Woqod and Qatar National Cement. In the venture market, both Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, Aamal Company, Doha Bank, Ezdan, Lesha Bank and Estithmar Holding were among the gainers in the main bourse.The foreign institutions’ net selling increased noticeably to QR60.26mn compared to QR58.37mn on November 11.The Gulf institutions were net sellers to the tune of QR40.08mn against net buyers of QR15.34mn on Monday.The Gulf individual investors’ net buying weakened perceptibly to QR0.93mn compared to QR1.54mn the previous day.However, the domestic institutions’ net buying expanded significantly to QR56.65mn against QR38.27mn on November 11.The Qatari retail investors’ net buying strengthened considerably to QR28.13mn compared to QR1.65mn on Monday.The Arab individual investors’ net buying increased markedly to QR9.33mn against QR2.32mn the previous day.The foreign retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR5.31mn compared with net sellers of QR0.76mn on November 11.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the seventh straight session.Trade volumes in the main market soared 23% to 158.49mn shares, value by 17% to QR461.6mn and transactions by 8% to 16,532.The venture market saw 74% contraction in trade volumes to 0.22mn equities, 75% in value to QR0.53mn and 46% in deals to 32.

The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) will help the Maldives build an international financial centre in the Asian country, highlighting the growing prominence of the QFC in the global arena.In this regard, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) of the Maldives has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the QFC.The MoU would be instrumental in promoting knowledge and capacity building, which are integral to establish a world-class financial centre in the Maldives and build economic resilience.Through the MoU, the QFC will conduct regular knowledge exchange sessions to share best practices in financial management, regulatory frameworks, and operational strategies, supporting the establishment of the financial centre in the Maldives.Additionally, the QFC will facilitate networking opportunities to foster partnerships with financial institutions, regulatory bodies, and industry experts, building a robust ecosystem for the financial centre in the Maldives."This partnership underscores our dedication to fostering a lasting, impactful network with global financial institutions and supports our aim to build a sustainable financial ecosystem that drives economic prosperity,” said Yousuf Mohamed al-Jaida, chief executive officer, QFC Authority.The QFC - home to international and domestic firms -- has attracted more than 2,200 firms since 2005, significantly contributing to Qatar’s economic diversification and growth.“This MoU is a significant step towards establishing a robust international financial centre... We are confident that our collaboration with QFC will provide invaluable insights and support," according to Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed.This partnership not only leverages the QFC’s expertise and MEDT’s strategic vision but also strengthens the long-standing friendship between Qatar and the Maldives.The pact is expected to bring significant benefits to countries, fostering economic growth and development through enhanced cooperation and mutual support.In May this year, foreign ministers of both the countries had held high-level talks aimed at further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries where the future avenues for collaboration to advance Qatar-the Maldives development partnership.In its latest annual report, the QFC, which is on a “renewed trajectory”, said it finds considerable prospects in the run-up to 2030 on increasing demand for digital payments, a stronger focus on sustainability in business and community, and accelerated mobility of skilled talent and private wealth.

The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) of Maldives has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC).The MoU between would be instrumental to the promotion of knowledge and capacity building, which is integral to delivering Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s vision to establish a world-class financial center in the Maldives and build economic resilience.Through the MoU, the QFC will conduct regular knowledge exchange sessions to share best practices in financial management, regulatory frameworks, and operational strategies, supporting the establishment of the financial center in the Maldives.

Al Faleh Educational Holding is exploring options to acquire a school in Qatar as part of its expansion strategy.In a communique to the Qatar Stock Exchange, the company announced its intention to explore the potential idea of acquisition of a school in Qatar with an estimated capacity of around 2,000 students."The company plans to assess the strategic compatibility of such an idea within its current group portfolio, as well as to evaluate the investment return and overall feasibility," the communique said.

The Qatar Stock Exchange on Monday fell 19 points on the back of selling pressure, especially at the transport, telecom, realty and industrials counters.The foreign funds were seen increasingly net sellers as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.17% to 10,605.07 points, but recovering from an intraday low of 10,570 points.The foreign individuals were increasingly net profit takers in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 2.08%.The domestic funds’ weakened net buying had its influence on the main bourse, whose capitalisation shed QR0.37bn or 0.06% to QR628.22bn on the back of microcap segments.However, the Gulf institutions turned net buyers in the main market, which saw as many as 0.01mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.04mn trade across four deals.The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the other indices of the main bourse, whose trade turnover grew amidst lower volumes.The Arab individual investors turned bullish in the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The local retail investors were net buyers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index fell 0.17%, the All Islamic Index by 0.21% and the All Share Index by 0.11% in the main market.The transport sector index declined 0.81%, telecom (0.38%), realty (0.36%), industrials (0.34%) and insurance (0.03%); while banks and financial services gained 0.12% and consumer goods and services 0.03%.As much as 66% of the traded constituents were in the red with major losers being Meeza, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Ahlibank Qatar, Estithmar Holding, Nakilat, Salam International Investment, Qamco and Barwa.Nevertheless, Widam Food, Ezdan, Al Khaleej Takaful and Gulf Warehousing were among the gainers in the main bourse.In the venture market, both Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares appreciate in value.The foreign institutions’ net selling increased substantially to QR58.37mn compared to QR13.79mn on November 10.The foreign retail investors’ net selling grew marginally to QR0.76mn against QR0.49mn the previous day.The domestic institutions’ net buying declined perceptibly to QR38.27mn compared to QR40.94mn on Sunday.However, the Gulf institutions were net buyers to the tune of QR15.34mn against net sellers of QR14.15mn on November 10.The Arab individuals turned net buyers to the extent of QR2.32mn compared with net sellers of QR1.34mn the previous day.The Qatari retail investors were net buyers to the tune of QR1.65mn against net profit takers of QR11.14mn on Sunday.The Gulf individuals turned net buyers to the extent of QR1.54mn compared with net sellers of QR0.04mn on November 10.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the sixth straight session.Trade volumes in the main market shrank 16% to 128.71mn shares, while value was up 1% to QR395.54mn and transactions by 25% to 15,318.The venture market saw a 20% contraction in trade volumes to 0.86mn equities, 21% in value to QR2.08mn and 20% in deals to 59.

Qatar's banking sector saw total assets reach QR2.03tn in September 2024, an increase of 1.2% month-on-month and 2.9% year-on-year, according to QNB Financial Services (QNBFS).The asset enhancement in September has been on account of a 1.1% rise in domestic assets, QNBFS said in its ‘Qatar Monthly Key Banking Indicators’.Liquid assets to total assets went up to 30.3% in September 2024 compared to 29.8% in August 2024, which remains in a "healthy" position, it said.The banks’ total assets had grown by an average 6.8% over the past five years (2019-23).The loan book moved up by 0.5% month-on-month (up 4.8% in 2024), while deposits went up by 1.1% (up 6.2% in 2024) in September 2024. Loans grew by an average 6.5% during 2019-2023.With deposits rising (1%) more than loans during September, the LDR (loan-to-deposit ratio) slipped to 128.9% against 129.7% in August 2024.Loan provisions to gross loans edged up to 4.2% in September 2024 compared to August 2024, the report said.The overall loan book moved up by 0.5% in September 2024, pushed up mainly by private sector loans, which expanded 0.7% month-on-month (+3.5% in 2024) during September 2024.Consumption and others was the main driver for the private sector loans in September 2024. Consumption and others (contributes about 20% to private sector loans) increased by 2.7% month-on-month, while services (about 32%) moved up by 0.2% month-on-month (+3.9% in 2024), with general trade (about 21%) going up by 0.3% (+3.6% in 2024) and the real estate (about 21%) gaining 0.2% (+8.8% in 2024) in the review period.Total public sector loans were marginally down month-on-month (+6.3% in 2024) in September 2024, which remains the primary drive of credit. The semi-government institutions segment was the main catalyst for the public sector decline with a 2.3% drop (-8.3% in 2024), while the government institutions’ segment (representing about 65% of public sector loans) went down by 0.2% (+6.7% in 2024). However, the government segment (about 29%) went up by 0.8% (+8.6% in 2024) during September 2024.The banks' overseas loans edged up by 0.3% month-on-month (+13.9% in 2024) in September.Public sector deposits grew 1.3% month-on-month (+10.3% in 2024) in September 2024. The government institutions’ deposits (representing about 55% of public sector deposits) rose by 1.5% (+8.2% in 2024), while the semi-government institutions’ segment moved up 0.6% (-12.7% in 2024) in September.Non-resident deposits increased by 2% month-on-month (+11.3% in 2024) during September 2024. Non-resident Deposits as a percentage of total deposits moved up to 19% as at September 2024 compared to 18.2% at year-end 2023; indicating that banks are still relying on external funding.Private sector deposits in banks was higher by 0.6% month-on-month (+1.1% in 2024) in September. On the private sector front, the consumer segment increased by 1% (+7.2% in 2024), which indicates retail prefer to increase their savings vis-a-vis borrowings. Moreover, companies and institutions’ edged up by 0.2% (-5.7% in 2024).The return on equity or RoE for the banking sector stood at an annualised 11.1% at the end of September 2024 against 14.9% at year-end 2023. Major drag on the overall sector RoEs is mainly due to low single digit RoEs generated by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank. On the other hand, QNB Group and Qatar Islamic Bank continue to generate strong double digit RoEs, QNBFS said.

Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) has said visa waiver for the Qatari nationals has helped in increasing tourists’ inflows to the Asian nation and will partake in the upcoming Qatar Travel Mart (QTM) to work together with partners in Doha, a move seen mutually beneficial for both the economies."The number of Qatari nationals visiting Japan has been on the rise. From January to June 2024, 1,926 Qatari nationals visited Japan, which is a 17.3% increase from the same period last year," JNTO executive director Daisuke Kobayashi told Gulf Times in an interview.Since the introduction of the visa waiver for Qatari nationals, Japan has seen some increase in number of visitors, he said.Japan activated the system of visa exemption for Qatari citizens effective from August 21, 2023; enabling them to apply electronically for visas at the Embassy of Japan in Doha to further register their passports and then finalising registration for the visa waiver online.By offering travellers varied experiences across Japan, he said, JNTO aims to ensure that tourism growth remains sustainable while enhancing the quality of experiences for both visitors and local communities.Highlighting JNTO has an essential role in promoting new seasonal and regional attractions, he said it will participate in the upcoming QTM.QTM - which brings the world's top destinations together to share the latest trends in Sports, MICE, Business, Cultural, Leisure, Luxury, Medical and Halal Tourism - is scheduled to take place on November 25-27."It is important for JNTO to create and maintain positive and productive relationships with airlines and travel agencies in the GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) region in order to promote Japan as preferred leisure destination," Kobayashi said.Many people in the Gulf region know Japan to enjoy cherry blossoms. However, with Japan's 47 prefectures, each offering its own unique attractions, and four distinct seasons, there is always something new to discover, according to him."That’s one of the most special things about Japan: no matter how many times you visit or which season you explore, there is always an opportunity for endless discoveries," he said.Asked about the growing concerns on over-tourism in Japan, he said it was limited to certain popular areas. Nevertheless, JNTO and other Japanese tourism authorities are taking proactive steps to address this issue, led primarily by the Japan Tourism Agency."Our approach focuses on finding a balance between promoting tourism and managing visitor numbers to ensure that Japan remains a sustainable and welcoming destination," he said, adding "we believe that by carefully planning and executing our promotional activities, we can mitigate the impact of over-tourism."In this regard, he said, JNTO is encouraging visitors to explore Japan in different seasons beyond the cherry blossom period, such as enjoying the autumn foliage or winter snow, which helps distribute visitors throughout the year."Additionally, we are promoting diverse regions across Japan to broaden the appeal of travel destinations beyond the traditional “Golden Route” of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. This allows visitors to discover the unique charm of lesser-known regions and contributes to a more balanced distribution of travellers," according to him.

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) closed in the positive terrain with its key index gaining 44 points and capitalisation added about QR2bn this week, which otherwise saw truncated sessions in view of holidays declared after the historic constitutional referendum.The foreign funds were seen bullish as the 20-stock Qatar Index gained 0.42% this week which saw the Qatar Central Bank or QCB decide to bring down the deposit rate and the lending rate by 30 basis points to 4.9% and 5.4% respectively.The telecom and real estate counters witnessed higher than average demand in the main market this week which saw QatarEnergy inaugurate four new conventional-size liquefied natural gas vessels built in the Samsung Heavy Industries Shipyard and the Hanwha Ocean Shipyard in Korea as part of the energy major's historic fleet expansion programme.The Arab retail investors were increasingly net buyers in the main bourse this week which saw the Qatar Financial Centre’s latest purchasing managers’ index suggest Doha saw faster increase in new businesses in the non-energy private sector, generating renewed expansion in the overall business activity in October 2024.The Qatar individuals’ weakened net selling had its influence in the main market this week which saw an International Monetary Fund data suggest Qatar to lead the Gulf Co-operation Council or GCC in real oil gross domestic product growth this year with a 1.2% jump against a 3.2% fall in the region.The Gulf retail investors’ lower net profit booking also had its say in the main bourse this week which saw Standard and Poor's (S&P), an international credit rating agency, view that Qatar's LNG production is slated to rise by 35% from the current levels by 2027 with additional demand coming from Europe and the country’s per capita income rising above $80,000.The Gulf institutions were seen net buyers in the main market this week, which saw the QCB assistant governor Sheikh Ahmed bin Khaled al-Thani say that the country has an "incredibly bright" future for its capital market with distributed ledger technology (DLT) and digital assets driving the future of the financial industry.However, the foreign retail investors were seen bearish in the main bourse this week which saw a total of 0.21mn Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored exchange-traded fund QATR worth QR0.46mn trade across 39 deals.The domestic institutions also turned net sellers in the main market this week which saw as many as 4,637 Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR0.05mn change hands across six transactions.The Islamic index was seen outperforming the other indices in the main market this week, which saw the industrials and realty sectors together constitute about 56% of the total trade volumes.Market capitalisation added QR1.87bn or 0.3% to QR627.08bn on the back of small cap segments this week, which saw no trading of treasury bills.Trade turnover and volumes were on the declined in both the main and venture markets this week, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index gained 0.42%, the All Share Index by 0.27% and the All Islamic Index by 0.73% this week, which saw container and bulk cargo through Qatar's ports report a double-digit year-on-year growth in October 2024, indicating the country's growing trade and economic ties with the rest of the world.The telecom sector index shot up 2.08%, real estate (0.73%), banks and financial services (0.4%) and industrials (0.31%); while transport declined 1%, insurance (0.8%) and consumer goods and services (0.27%) this week.Major gainers in the main bourse included Estithmar Holding, Ooredoo, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Qatar National Cement, Qatar German Medical Devices, Qatar Islamic Bank, QIIB, Dukhan Bank, Qatari Investors Group, Aamal Company, Industries Qatar and Mazaya Qatar. In the venture market, Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.Nevertheless, about 64% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market with major losers being Doha Insurance, Inma Holding, Gulf Warehousing, Milaha, Alijarah Holding, Lesha Bank, Salam International Investments, Medicare Group, Baladna, Meeza and Gulf International Services. In the juniour bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value this week.The foreign institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR53.37mn compared with net sellers of QR74.73mn the week ended October 31.The Arab individual investors’ net buying increased perceptibly to QR15.83mn against QR13.24mn the previous week.The Gulf institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR5.34mn compared with net profit takers of QR15.83mn a week ago.The local retail investors’ net selling weakened considerably to QR45.03mn against QR61.59mn the week ended October 31.The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking eased marginally to QR2.11mn compared to QR2.33mn the previous week.However, the foreign individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR16.67mn against net buyers of QR2.83mn a week ago.The domestic funds were net sellers to the extent of QR10.72mn compared with net buyers of QR138.52mn the week ended October 31.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net profit takers to the extent of QR0.11mn the previous week.The main market witnessed a 59% plunge in trade volumes to 468.05mn shares, 58% in value to QR1.03bn and 56% in deals to 33,881 this week.In the venture market, trade volumes tanked 87% to 1.53mn equities, value by 87% QR3.95mn and transactions by 78% to 153.