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Latvia, which offers attractive opportunities through eight free zones, is seeking investments from Qatar, especially in information and communications technology, food security, tourism, renewable energy, healthcare, and logistics.This was discussed at a Qatar Chamber meeting with Dana Goldfinča, non-resident Ambassador of Latvia to Qatar.She was received at the chamber’s headquarters by board member Abdulrahman bin Abduljalil bin al-Abdulghani, in the presence of other members Abdullah al-Emadi and Dr Mohammed bin Johar al-Mohammed.The meeting discussed ways to enhance trade and economic relations between the two countries, explored potential areas of cooperation between the Qatari and Latvian private sectors, and highlighted key investment opportunities for Qatari businessmen in Latvia.Abdulrahman al-Abdulghani said the current volume of trade between Qatar and Latvia remains very modest, underlining the importance of strengthening cooperation between the private sectors of both countries to expand trade exchange and mutual investments.Inviting Qatar Inc to Latvia, Goldfinča emphasised her country’s openness to Qatari investments across all sectors.The envoy further highlighted the importance of enhancing cooperation between the Qatar Chamber and the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to facilitate communication and foster stronger ties between the business communities of both countries.

AFG College with the University of Aberdeen, subsidiary of Al Faleh Educational Holding, has opened its new premises in Msheireb area, which will serve as a hub for innovative programmes.The new premises at NBK1 Tower has been designed, after consultation with key stakeholders, to enhance the teaching and learning facilities and includes dedicated computer labs for the teaching of Cyber Security and Artificial Intelligence (AI), Al Faleh Educational Holding said in a communique to the Qatar Stock Exchange.The opening ceremony was attended by Al Faleh Educational Holding Chairperson and Founder, Dr Sheikha Aisha bint Faleh al-Thani, and Chief Executive Officer Sheikha Anwar bint Nawaf al-Thani alongside the University of Aberdeen Principal and Vice Chancellor, Professor George Boyne."This is not just the opening of a new teaching space, it represents our commitment as an organisation, to continued growth and development and to work towards providing our community with the resources required to tackle the ever-changing environment in which we operate. We look forward to continuing our role as the premium provider of quality higher education in Qatar," Sheikha Aisha said.The expansion is a strategic response to local demand, as well as a commitment to providing the local community with access to quality British higher education.Facilities will include modern computer labs, equipped with specialist software enabling the hosting of advanced studies in computer related disciplines.Emphasis has been placed on the development of collaborative teaching spaces in-line with the college’s approach to incorporating interdisciplinary and industry focused learning.Such additions will equip students with the requisite knowledge and skills that are needed for entering the modern workforce.Sheikha Anwar said after months of planning and preparation, it is finally in a position to open new facilities, which further demonstrates its commitment to contributing towards the Qatar National Vision 2030."Our new premises demonstrates our commitment to offering our students the tools and environment needed to fulfil their potential, whilst reaffirming our mission and vision of creating an environment that is adaptable, inclusive and sustainable,” said AFG College Principal, Brian Buckley.

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.

SILQ, the largest B2B commerce platform across the Gulf and emerging Asia, is relocating its entire engineering centre to Qatar, which has "tremendous" rate of improvement, according to its top official."We recently decided to actually move our entire engineering centre to Qatar," SILQ founder and group chief executive officer Afeef Zaman Wednesday told a panel session at the seventh edition of Investment Forum 20205, organised by Qatar Development Bank in association with Young Entrepreneurs Club.He joined the panel on bridging entrepreneurs with private wealth, where he shared SILQ's mission and emphasised that meaningful connections require more than capital; they require models built on trust. Shariah-compliant finance, grounded in transparency, fairness, and shared risk, provides that foundation and stands as a globally relevant framework for SME (small and medium enterprises) growth.SILQ is a platform dedicated to bridging economies and empowering businesses to trade, grow, and navigate new frontiers. By enabling seamless commerce, logistics, and finance, it unlocks opportunities in emerging economies, fuelling ambitions and redefining global trade.The platform does roughly around $1.2bn business a year and roughly 30% of it, which is $350mn a year, is what it finances, according to him.Stressing that if one has to make predictions about the future, the rate of improvement has to be considered; he said it has seen the Qatari market grow and when it comes to venture in Qatar, the rate of improvement is "quite tremendous"."The entire Gulf has done very well, but Qatar particularly has done well across many vectors here," Zaman said."From our engineering centre in Qatar, SILQ is advancing this vision to make financing seamless and future-ready across emerging markets and the Gulf," the company said.Referring to the government's efforts to strengthen the venture ecosystem in the country, he said such strategy "actually helped us have the conviction to put our engineering future in Qatar."Mohammed al-Emadi, executive director of Incubation and Venture Capital Investment, QDB, said Zaman has been a beneficiary of the Startup Qatar Investment Programme and QDB worked some of the regional funds to co-invest and help relocating or expanding part of the business to Qatar.Highlighting that the legworks for the country's venture capital system started in 2016-17; he said "as we started to evolve in the last few years, we noticed the importance of bringing the private sector to bring in more sustainability and also additional capital to this sector.""When we started developing the private venture capital here in Qatar, we started with the first pillar, which is the angel investors," he said, adding the development of the angel investors had not happened overnight but through calibrated training programmes."Today, we see a rising importance of growing the private wealth through the family offices," he said.

The first cohort from the venture studio - backed by the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Qatar Development Bank (QDB) and Utopia Capital Management - is expected before the end of this year, according to a top official of QDB."We look forward to welcoming the first cohort from Qatar before the end of this year," QDB chief executive officer Abdulrahman bin Hesham al-Sowaidi told the seventh edition of Investment Forum 2025, organised by QDB in association with Young Entrepreneurs Club.Developing Qatar's venture capital ecosystem, in partnership with a fund-of-fund programme launched by QIA, the QDB had collaborated with Utopia Capital Management to establish the first venture studio of Qatar, operated by A-typical Ventures.Unveiled at the Web Summit 2025, the venture studio is actively seeking the region's entrepreneurs looking to scale innovations and drive economic diversification across sectors such as fintech, healthtech, e-commerce, logistics and mobility, and climatetech.The studio will act as a magnet for entrepreneurs and investors across the region, while nurturing Qataris' startup with skills and capital, al-Sowaidi said."This long-term partnership is a testament to our commitment to advancing the VC (venture capital) ecosystem through private sector enablement. This partnership is already in action," he said, adding the region is witnessing an increasing maturity in the financial ecosystem that encourages startup investments, even amidst global headwinds.A-typical Ventures will enable pre-seed, seed and pre-series A founders across the GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council), Levant, Pakistan and Turkiye to refine their business models, optimise their go-to-market strategies, and unlock powerful growth opportunities.The QIA's investment marks one of the first deployments of capital from its 'fund-of-funds' programme, which aims to develop a strong start-up and venture capital ecosystem in Qatar and attract leading venture capital funds and entrepreneurs to the region.QDB is co-building the next generation of game-changing ventures as it collaborates with Utopia and the Qatari partners, marking a bold step toward reshaping the startup landscape.By merging strategic investment with hands-on venture-building expertise, QDB aims to empower high-potential startups in Qatar and across the Middle East, helping them scale faster, break into new markets, and drive real economic impact.Mohammed al-Emadi, QDB executive director of Incubation and VC Investment, said the venture studio would be catering to the entire Mena region."Our alignment and agreement with Utopia is that we don't want to have a centre that's only dedicated for single market. We want a Mena venture studio. And the reason is that we want to serve our 2030 vision by building a knowledge-based economy. We believe that we need to draw the talents from Qatar, but we also need to attract talents to the region and to Qatar specifically," he added.

Qatar's family offices are in the path of shifting to "bold" venture capital (VC) investments, which have emerged as a powerful driver of growth, according to a top official of the Qatar Development Bank (QDB).In the GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council), family offices are shifting from conservative wealth managers to bold venture investors, and "Qatar’s ecosystem is ready for this transformation," QDB chief executive officer Abdulrahman bin Hesham al-Sowaidi on Wednesday told the seventh edition of Investment Forum 2025, organised by QDB in association with Young Entrepreneurs Club."As Qatar moves with confidence towards 2030, opportunities have never been more exciting. Investment is yielding growth and the market is laden with potential," he said.Highlighting that QDB continues to be a key enabler for the nation's VC space, maintaining strong growth through 2025; he said QDB's direct and indirect investments (as of today) exceed QR350mn, resulting in more than 1,100 direct and indirect new jobs, thus contributing to a strong private sector capable of driving Qatar diversification."Our mandate has expanded beyond local boundaries in alignment with our new strategy, positioning Qatar as the centre of tomorrow's opportunities. We launched the Startup Qatar Investment Programme, opening Qatar's door to global founders, capital, and ideas," according to him.In two years, this programme has directed more than QR120mn into more than 30 companies, scaling their growth and projecting their reach beyond its borders, he said, adding "this is only the opening chapter."Following the success of the first phase, QDB expanded the programme's capacity further, attracting 177 applications from 27 countries."With more than 40 entrepreneurs already benefiting from this community, the programme is establishing itself as a true hub of global talent," according to al-Sowaidi.Stressing that a great economy is not built on capital alone, but on knowledge, on talent and on trust and it is why QDB continues to invest in people; he said through its VC training programme, more than 170 investors are now equipped to play a leading role in the VC landscape of tomorrow."By the end of 2024, private sector participation in the VC scene reached 57% of total investment, surpassing the 50% target set for the same year," according to him.The QDB official said VC funding in the Middle East nearly doubled in the first half of 2025, reaching about $1.35bn, despite a global VC slowdown."In Qatar and beyond, private capital from high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and venture funds has emerged as a powerful driver of growth," he said, adding globally, family offices are rethinking how to preserve and grow assets across generations, as assets under their management are projected to exceed $5tn by 2030, underscoring their rising influence in finance.Placing particular emphasis on the growing role of family offices both regionally and globally; al-Sowaidi said these institutions have become vital partners in shaping the future of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, leveraging accumulated expertise and directing investments toward the sectors of tomorrow.

Doha's national manufacturing strategy, which reinforces broader diversification by targeting high-value industries, will not only have ripple effect beyond industries but also slated to drive growth in infrastructure and real estate, alongside priority sectors, through trickle-down effect, according to KPMG in Qatar."The National Manufacturing Strategy serves as a central pillar within the Third National Development Strategy, reinforcing Qatar’s broader diversification agenda by targeting high-value, innovation-driven industrial growth, and positioning manufacturing as a core engine for building long-term economic resilience," KPMG in Qatar said in an article posted on a social media.Combining short-term, low-cost quick-win projects with longer-term, high-impact investments reflects a dual-track strategy that builds early momentum, lays the groundwork for systemic transformation, manages risk, and sustains stakeholder engagement through visible progress, according to the article.Highlighting the need for empowered execution through cohesive partnerships; the report said effective implementation hinges not only on the right strategy but also on the right actors, with the emphasis on solid, capable partnerships reflecting the recognition that policy ambition must be matched by public and private institutional capacity to drive results at scale.Suggesting priority sectors as growth catalysts; it said the targeted sectors are not only economically viable but are strategically selected to build competitive advantage by aligning with Qatar’s natural strengths, while the increased focus on industrialisation is expected to drive growth in the infrastructure and realty sectors alongside the priority sectors in the strategy.The priority sectors are pharmaceuticals, chemicals and petrochemicals, plastics, food and beverage, metal and fabricated metals, and construction materials, according to the national manufacturing strategy.On unlocking the potential in pharmaceuticals, KPMG in Qatar said it enhances national health security through local production of essential medicines by offering high value-added potential and opportunities for skilled employment.On plastics, which utilises petrochemical outputs to create high demand consumer and industrial products; the article said it encourages innovation in packaging, construction, and manufacturing applications.About focus on metals and fabricated metals, it facilitates infrastructure and industrial development through critical inputs by promoting higher value-added activities in metalworking and product assembly.On the potential in chemicals and petrochemicals, the article said it leverages Qatar’s abundant hydrocarbon resources for downstream diversification, supporting export growth and global competitiveness in industrial chemicals."As Qatar advances its national manufacturing strategy, the ripple effects will extend beyond industry, shaping the country’s infrastructure and real estate landscape in critical ways," it said, adding increased manufacturing activity would drive demand for purpose-built industrial zones, logistics hubs, and warehousing facilities.KPMG noted demand for accommodation, office space, and complementary developments such as retail and food and beverage outlets is likely to increase around emerging manufacturing clusters, supporting broader patterns of urban expansion.Growth in manufacturing would require robust transportation networks, utilities, sustainable, Eco-friendly, digital infrastructure to ensure seamless operations and connectivity, it said, adding coordinated planning will be essential to balance industrial growth with sustainability, zoning efficiency, and urban liveability.Highlighting that Qatar already has a well-established built environment, comprising extensive infrastructure and real estate developments distributed across various zones; it said further expansion of these sectors is expected to generate significant trickle-down effects across other areas of the economy."The evolution of these sectors has been shaped by a series of economic, geopolitical, and global events over the past decade, each influencing demand patterns and driving shifts in growth and investment across the broader landscape," it said.

Oil price strength and brightened expectations on interest rate cuts in the US on Tuesday helped Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) to gain as much as 22 points in index and more than QR2bn in capitalisation.The local retail investors were increasingly net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.19% to 11,121.58 points, recovering from an intraday low of 11,102 points.The consumer goods, insurance and banking counters witnessed higher than average demand in the main market, whose year-to-date gains improved to 5.21%.About 56% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR2.15bn or 0.32% to QR666.01bn; mainly on mid and small cap segments.However, the domestic and foreign institutions were increasingly net sellers in the main market, which saw as many as 0.04mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.09mn trade across 13 deals.The Arab individuals turned net sellers in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The Islamic index was seen gaining faster than the main barometer of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The foreign retail investors were seen net sellers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index rose 0.19%, the All Share Index by 0.29% and the All Islamic Index by 0.21% in the main market.The consumer goods and sector index gained 0.91%, insurance (0.51%), banks and financial services (0.35%), industrials (0.2%) and real estate (0.16%); while transport and telecom declined 0.2% and 0.07% respectively.As many as 29 stocks gained, while 21 declined and two were unchanged.Major gainers in the main market included Baladna, Qatar German Medical Devices, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Mazaya Qatar, Al Mahhar Holding, Medicare Group, Estithmar Holding, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qamco and Ezdan.In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares appreciate in value.Nevertheless, QLM, Ahlibank Qatar, Nakilat, QIIB, Commercial Bank and Gulf Warehousing were among the shakers in the main market.The local retail investors’ net buying strengthened substantially to QR28.16mn compared to QR1.22mn on September 15.The Arab institutions’ net buying remained flat at QR0.05mn against the previous day.However, the domestic institutions’ net selling expanded noticeably to QR10.49mn compared to QR4.58mn on Monday.The foreign institutions’ net profit booking increased perceptibly to QR10.33mn against QR7.79mn on September 15.The Arab individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR3.06mn compared with net buyers of QR5.29mn the previous day.The foreign retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR2.08mn against net buyers of QR1.33mn on Monday.The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR1.41mn compared with net buyers of QR5.08mn on September 15.The Gulf individual investors’ net profit booking grew marginally to QR0.82mn against QR0.61mn the previous day.The main market saw a 69% surge in trade volumes to 244.52mn shares, 36% in value to QR542.96mn and 11% in deals to 25,733.In the venture market, a total of 0.1mn equities valued at QR0.25mn changed hands across 14 transactions.

NEXX, a logistics AI (artificial intelligence) company, in association with Zipto Supply Chain, a leading Chinese cross-border E-commerce logistics provider, is expanding into Qatar market as it establishes advanced smart fulfillment center at Milaha Logistics City, Qatar, to enhance cross-border E-commerce logistics capabilities in the region.In this regard, NEXX officially announced strategic partnerships with Zipto Supply Chain and Middle East delivery leader iMile, during the Belt and Road Summit held in Hong Kong."Together with Zipto's expertise in Chinese market access and iMile's last-mile excellence, powered by our AI-driven fulfillment center, we are positioned to transform the region's logistics landscape and revolutionise service standards in this sector," said Hui Ka, Oscar, chief executive officer of NEXX.Operated jointly by NEXX, Milaha and Hong Kong E-commerce logistics company KEC, the 5,000sqm smart fulfillment center is equipped with an agentic AI management system, automated sorting robots, and pharmaceutical logistics certification.It offers end-to-end warehousing and fulfillment services tailored for cross-border B2C E-commerce customers. The center also supports B2B operations and features a bonded warehouse. It is scheduled to commence full operations in the fourth quarter of this year.On NEXX's strategic partnership with Zipto to expand into the Qatar market, this partnership will see Zipto utilise the former's advanced smart fulfillment center as its primary Qatar operational base, harnessing the facility's sophisticated automation capabilities to serve Chinese E-commerce businesses expanding into the Qatari market, with planned subsequent expansion into the UAE.In a complementary agreement, NEXX has partnered with iMile, which will establish its Qatar headquarters within NEXX's smart fulfillment center, utilising the facility's intelligent logistics infrastructure to enhance and expand its delivery services across the country through integrated technological solutions."We are pleased to support NEXX and its partners Zipto and iMile as they bring innovative logistics solutions to Qatar. Our commitment to fostering international collaboration and sustainable business growth is strengthened by these important partnerships, which will position Qatar as a central player in the region's E-commerce landscape," said Sheikh Ali Alwaleed al-Thani, chief executive officer of Invest Qatar.NEXX had recently announced a strategic investment from Rasmal Ventures — the first independent venture capital fund supported by the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). It disclosed that Ibrahim al-Derbasti, executive vice president of Offshore and Marine at Milaha, as co-founder of NEXX Middle East.

HE Ali Bin Ahmed al-Kuwari, Minister of Finance, held a bilateral meeting with Mathias Cormann, the secretary of The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in France.During the meeting, various pressing subjects related to both parties were discussed, particularly in the areas of finance and economy.Moreover, both parties expressed their intention to cooperate meaningfully for mutual benefits and shared interests.

Ahead of the US Federal Reserve meeting later this week, the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) Monday fell about 32 points on the back of foreign institutions’ selloff.The telecom and industrials counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.29% to 11,099.97 points, although it touched an intraday high of 11,142 points.The domestic institutions continued to be bearish but with lesser vigour in the main market, whose year-to-date gains truncated to 5%.The Arab retail investors’ weakened net buying had its influence on the main bourse, whose capitalisation eased QR0.55bn or 0.08% to QR663.86bn, mainly on microcap segments.The Gulf institutions were seen increasingly net buyers in the main market, which saw as many as 8,091 exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.08mn trade across 12 deals.The foreign individuals turned bullish in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The local retail investors were seen net buyers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index shed 0.29%, the All Share Index by 0.13% and the All Islamic Index by 0.48% in the main market.The telecom sector index tanked 1.08%, industrials (0.93%), consumer goods and services (0.28%), real estate (0.11%) and transport (0.04%); while insurance gained 0.61% and banks and financial services 0.21%.As many as 25 stocks gained, while 23 declined and five were unchanged.Major losers in the main market included Industries Qatar, Vodafone Qatar, Ooredoo, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Woqod, Qamco and Barwa.In the juniour bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, Ezdan, Estithmar Holding, Widam Food, Qatar Insurance, Baladna, Mazaya Qatar and Gulf Warehousing were among the gainers in the main market.The foreign institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR7.79mn compared with net buyers of QR11.08mn on Sunday.The Arab individual investors’ net buying declined noticeably to QR5.29mn against QR9.7mn the previous day.The Arab institutions’ net buying eased marginally to QR0.05mn compared to QR0.06mn on September 14.However, the Gulf institutions’ net buying strengthened markedly to QR5.08mn compared to QR3.06mn on Sunday.The foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.33mn against net sellers of QR0.48mn the previous day.The local retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR1.22mn compared with net sellers of QR4.79mn on September 14.The domestic institutions’ net profit booking weakened substantially to QR4.58mn against QR17.68mn on Sunday.The Gulf individual investors’ net selling shrank marginally to QR0.61mn compared to QR0.95mn the previous day.The main market saw a 24% jump in trade volumes to 145.08mn shares, 44% in value to QR398.55mn and 28% in deals to 23,142.In the venture market, a total of 0.67mn equities valued at QR1.72mn changed hands across 69 transactions.

Market EyeThe US interest rate cut hopes had its reflection on the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) , which Sunday opened the week on a stronger note with its key index gaining 39 points and capitalisation adding about QR2bn.The foreign institutions were seen net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.35% to 11,131.75 points, recovering from an intraday low of 11,101 points.The insurance and banking counters witnessed higher than average demand in the main market, whose year-to-date gains improved further to 5.3%.The Arab retail investors were seen bullish in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR1.82bn or 0.27% to QR664.41bn, mainly on small and microcap segments.The foreign individuals’ weakened net selling had its marginal effect on the main market, which saw as many as 4,688 exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.05mn trade across seven deals.The Gulf institutions continued to be net buyers but with lesser vigour in the main bourse, whose trade turnover shrank amidst higher volumes.The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the main barometer of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The local retail investors were increasingly net sellers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index rose 0.35%, the All Share Index by 0.3% and the All Islamic Index by 0.3% in the main market.The insurance sector index gained 0.53%, banks and financial services (0.4%), consumer goods and services (0.29%), industrials (0.22%), real estate (0.22%) and transport (0.11%); while telecom declined 0.25%.As many as 32 stocks gained, while 16 declined and four were unchanged.Major gainers in the main market include Mannai Corporation, Widam Food, Estithmar Holding, QLM, Qatar Islamic Bank, Industries Qatar and Ezdan.Nevertheless, Ahlibank Qatar, Qatar National Cement, Ooredoo, Salam International Investment, Medicare Group and Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding were among the shakers in the main bourse. In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.The foreign institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR11.08mn compared with net sellers of QR6.73mn on September 11.The Arab individual investors were net buyers to the extent of QR9.7mn against net sellers of QR2.29mn last Thursday.The Arab institutions’ net buying increased marginally to QR0.06mn compared to QR0.05mn the previous trading day.The foreign individual investors’ net profit booking shrank marginally to QR0.48mn against QR0.62mn on September 11.However, the domestic institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR17.68mn compared with net buyers of QR5.56mn last Thursday.The local retail investors’ net profit booking strengthened noticeably to QR4.79mn against QR2.07mn the previous day.The Gulf individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR0.95mn compared with net buyers of QR0.92mn on September 11.The Arab institutions’ net buying weakened perceptibly to QR3.06mn against QR0.05mn last Thursday.The main market saw a 19% jump in trade volumes to 116.54mn shares but on 6% fall in value to QR277.74mn amidst 1% growth in deals to 18,063.In the venture market, a total of 1.32mn equities valued at QR3.41mn changed hands across 167 transactions.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) has issued Circular No. (3) of 2025, requiring all car dealerships to refrain from exporting new vehicles that have been registered for less than one year.The circular exempts authorised car agents and vehicles intended for personal use by individuals.The measure is designed to protect consumers, while maintaining the availability of new vehicles in the local market.It seeks to preserve a fair balance between supply and demand, prevent unjustified price increases, and avoid practices that may mislead consumers.The circular also shields commercial establishments from penalties under the Consumer Protection Law for practices such as withholding goods or removing them from local market through export.The Law No. (8) of 2008 on Consumer Protection and its executive regulations, issued under Ministerial Decision No. (68) of 2012, define suppliers’ obligations and enforcement mechanisms.Article 10 prohibits suppliers from withholding goods, refusing to sell them to manipulate market prices, imposing purchase conditions, or charging more than the publicly announced price.Article 14 forbids creating false or misleading impressions for consumers, including providing inaccurate information about product details (the country of origin).The circular takes effect from the date of issuance, and the ministry urges all car dealerships to comply with the circular to avoid violations and legal action.The MOCI will take strict action against any negligence or failure to comply with Law No. (8) of 2008 and its executive regulations, and will intensify inspection campaigns to ensure full adherence.

Qatar's non-energy sector rose for the seventh consecutive month, indicating the country's resilience amidst tariff uncertainties and elevated volatility in the global economy, particularly in the first half (H1) of 2025, according to the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC).Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows will remain strong and is expected to pick up towards the tail-end of 2025, QFC said in its latest update."Qatar’s non-oil private sector PMI (purchasing managers’ index) averaged 51.1 for H1-2025 despite tariff uncertainty and geo-political risks. Qatar’s non-energy sector maintained its growth into second half of 2025," QFC said.Qatar’s economy continues to do well with the Standard & Poor Global PMI showing that the non-oil sector remains in expansion territory, while FDI inflows continue to increase and banking assets grow by 9% on an annualised basis. The real estate sector remains robust after a strong H1-2025.Inward FDI into Qatar has been comparatively strong in 2025, with the country having attracted $2.4bn (more than 86% of 2024 total FDI inflows) in FDI capex so far this year, the report said, adding FDI inflows into Qatar for 2025 have also contributed to the creation of 8,262 jobs so far."With four months left until the end of 2025, Qatar is well placed to attract FDI inflows in line with those witnessed in 2024 of $2.8bn," QFC said.Data from 2020-24 indicated that on average the last four months of the year see FDI inflows of $342.8mn on average, it said.Highlighting that the UAE, France and the US are the top three markets contributing to Qatar’s FDI inflows; the report said together these three contributed a total of $1.52bn or 62.9% of all FDI inflows into Qatar so far in 2025."The strong flow of inward FDI highlights the positive sentiment investors continue to have towards Qatar. We remain positive that FDI inflows will remain strong for the remainder of the year, as historically FDI inflows tend to pick up towards the tail-end of the year," the report said.Real estate transactions amounted to QR6bn in the second quarter of 2025, an 88.9% increase on an annualised basis. This growth builds on the momentum gained in the first quarter of 2025 where real estate activity totalled QR4.1bn, putting real estate deals for 2025 in excess of QR10.1bn, which is QR2.5bn more than in H1-2024.As of August 31, 2025, real estate activity equated to QR804mn with residential property accounting for 17% (QR137.1mn) of Qatar’s total real estate activity.The Qatar Stock Exchange was largely flat in August with the index rising from 11,187.76 on the first trading day 11,222.33 on the last trading day.

Market EyeHeightened expectations of rate cut in the US had its overarching influence during the last leg of trading session of the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), which continued to be on a bearish mode for the fourth consecutive week, but on a lesser note.The Arab individuals were seen net profit takers as the 20-stock Qatar Index was down 0.05% this week which saw the QSE welcome the Gulf bourses' unified investor relations' guideline 2025 that is expected to enhance the collective ability to attract quality institutional investments at the local, regional, and international levels.The foreign retail investors were seen bearish in the main market this week which saw Doha Bank register 3.7 times oversubscription to its $500mn international bond.The domestic funds’ weakened net buying had its influence on the main bourse this week which saw Baladna Food Industries, a subsidiary of Baladna, achieve a major milestone by securing an In-Country Value certification score of 82.47% under Qatar’s “Tawteen” programme.As much as 66% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market this week which saw Mannai Corporation shareholders approve board's decision to dispose of the UAE-based Damas International (a wholly-owned direct subsidiary) to Titan Holdings International.The Gulf institutions’ lower net buying had its effect on the main bourse this week which saw a total of 23,939 AlRayan Bank-sponsored exchange traded fund QATR worth QR0.06mn trade across 21 deals.The Gulf individuals’ weakened net buying had its effect on the main market this week which saw 1,648 Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR0.02mn change hands across 11 transactions.The Islamic index was seen making gains vis-à-vis decline in the other indices of the main market this week, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.Market capitalisation was flat at QR662.59bn amidst selling pressure on microcap segments this week which saw no trading of treasury bills.Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the main market; while it was on the rise in the venture market this week which saw the consumer goods, industrials and realty sectors together constitute about 73% of the total trade volumes.The Total Return Index was down 0.05% and the All Share Index by 029%, while the All Islamic Index rose by 0.29% this week.The banks and financial services sector index tanked 1.21%, transport (0.89%), consumer goods and services (0.36%) and realty (0.1%); whereas telecom gained 3.06%, industrials (1.51%) and insurance (0.84%).The market was skewed towards shakers with as many 35 constituents declining, while 18 made gains this week.As much as 66% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market with major losers being Mannai Corporation, Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution, Qatar Oman Investment, QNB, Al Mahhar Holding, Qatar Islamic Bank, Commercial Bank, Dlala, Mekdam Holding, Gulf International Services, United Development Company, Mazaya Qatar, Gulf Warehousing and Nakilat.In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value this week.Nevertheless, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Estithmar Holding, Ooredoo, QLM, Industries Qatar, Baladna, Meeza, Ezdan and Vodafone Qatar were among the gainers in the main market this week.The Arab individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR21.79mn compared with net buyers of QR20.51mn the previous week.The foreign retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR0.33mn against net buyers of QR7.8mn the week ended September 4.The domestic institutions’ net buying declined perceptibly to QR10.99mn compared to QR14.53mn a week ago.The Gulf institutions’ net buying weakened significantly to QR9.09mn against QR16.27mn the previous week.The Gulf retail investors’ net buying shrank noticeably to QR1.6mn compared to QR6.06mn the week ended September 4.The Arab institutions’ net buying decreased marginally to QR0.1mn against QR0.32mn a week ago.However, the Qatari individuals’ net buying strengthened substantially to QR53.63mn compared to QR7.61mn the previous week.The foreign institutions’ net selling weakened considerably to QR53.29mn against QR73.11mn the week ended September 4.The main market saw a 6% contraction in trade volumes to 538.14mn shares and 2% in value to QR1.62bn but on 2% jump in deals to 98,865 this week.In the venture market, trade volumes more than doubled to 2.72mn equities and value more than doubled to QR7.27mn on more than doubled transactions to 487.

The Qatar Stock Exchange today snapped three consecutive days of bearish run to close 16 points higher on the back of buying interests, especially in the industrials, insurance and telecom counters. The foreign funds’ weakened net selling had its influence as the 20-stock Qatar Index gained 0.14% to 11,093.12 points, although it touched an intraday high of 11,114 points. The Gulf individuals were seen increasingly net buyers in the main market, whose year-to-date gains improved to 4.94%. The Arab retail investors’ lower net profit booking had its effect on the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR1.26bn or 0.37% to QR662.59bn, mainly on small cap segments. The domestic funds continued to be bullish but with lesser vigour in the main market, which saw as many as 1,128 exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR2,909 trade across seven deals. The local retail investors turned net sellers in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline. The Islamic index was seen outperforming the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The foreign individuals’ weakened net selling had its impact on the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds. The Total Return Index rose 0.14%, the All Share Index by 0.09% and the All Islamic Index by 0.33% in the main market. The industrials sector index shot up 1.26%, insurance (0.66%), telecom (0.28%) and real estate (0.2%); whereas consumer goods and services declined 0.36%, banks and financial services (0.3%) and transport (0.04%). Major gainers in the main market include Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Industries Qatar, Ooredoo, Qatar National Cement, Qatar Electricity and Water, Ezdan and Vodafone Qatar. Nevertheless, about 54% of the traded constituents in the main bourse were in the red with major losers being Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution, Widam Food, Al Mahhar Holding, Qatar German Medical Devices and Dukhan Bank. In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value. The Gulf individual investors’ net buying increased marginally to QR0.92mn compared to QR0.84mn the previous day. The foreign institutions’ net selling declined substantially to QR6.73mn against QR35.67mn on September 10. The Arab retail investors’ net selling weakened markedly to QR2.29mn compared to QR8.41mn on Wednesday. The foreign individual investors’ net profit booking shrank noticeably to QR0.62mn against QR2.99mn the previous day. The Arab institutions continued to be net buyers to the extent of QR0.05mn against Wednesday levels. However, the local individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR2.07mn compared with net buyers of QR18.36mn on September 10. The domestic institutions’ net buying weakened drastically to QR5.56mn against QR22.07mn the previous day. The Gulf institutions’ net buying eased marginally to QR5.17mn compared to QR5.78mn on Wednesday. The main market saw 3% contraction in trade volumes to 97.71mn shares, 170% in value to QR295.68mn and 10% in deals to 17,943. In the venture market, a total of 0.07mn equities valued at QR0.17mn changed hands across 18 transactions. (Ends)

Qatar and Sweden have entered into an agreement to establish a joint business council (JBC), which aims to strengthen collaboration between the private sectors, open new channels for investment and partnership, and contribute to building a more sustainable future.The agreement was signed by Ali bin Abdullatif al-Misnad, the Qatar Chamber’s board member, and Sara Radu, vice president of the Business Sweden, in the presence of HE Dr. Ahmed bin Mohamed al-Sayed, Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry; and Benjamin Dousa, Minister of International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Sweden.The agreement was signed on the sidelines of a meeting of a high-level business delegation from Sweden, led by Dousa, with Qatar Chamber to focus on cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the commercial and economic fields. They also addressed the investment climate and opportunities available in both countries, as well as the role of the private sector in stimulating mutual and joint investments and enhancing trade exchange.The meeting also saw the participation of Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani, chairman of Qatar Chamber; Gautam Bhattacharyya, Ambassador of Sweden to Qatar; and Nadya bint Ahmad al-Sheebi, Ambassador of Qatar to Sweden.The signing of the Qatari–Swedish JBC marks a pivotal step in enhancing cooperation, Sheikh Khalifa said, affirming that the council will serve as a platform to bring together business leaders and companies from both nations, facilitate joint investments, and boost bilateral trade exchanges."Qatar is steadily advancing toward building a sustainable, knowledge-based economy, offering significant opportunities for Swedish companies to establish investments and forge strategic partnerships in the country," he said, calling on Swedish companies to invest in Qatar and collaborate with Qatari businesses.Welcoming the agreement to establish the Qatari–Swedish JBC; Dousa expressed satisfaction on the growing momentum of investment relations between the two nations and the active presence of many Swedish companies in Qatar, particularly in health, digitalisation, and technology sectors.The Swedish Minister called on Qatari companies to invest in Swedish technology, noting that his country is among the world’s top-ranked countries in innovation.He also highlighted the alignment between Sweden’s vision and Qatar National Vision 2030, which provides diverse opportunities for cooperation, trade development, and addressing shared challenges.According to al-Misnad, Qatar and Sweden enjoy strong and rapidly growing commercial and economic ties. At the private sector level, there are abundant opportunities for partnership and collaboration between Qatari and Swedish companies, particularly in technology and innovation sectors, he said.Jan Larsson, chief executive officer of Business Sweden, said the Swedish delegation looks forward to strengthening cooperation with Qatari companies and investing in Qatar.The business meet included presentations from both sides, featuring Invest Qatar, the Qatar Free Zones Authority, and Mwani Qatar, alongside leading Swedish companies.

Market Eye The foreign funds Wednesday hurriedly squared off their position in the Qatar Stock Exchange, which closed in the negative for the third straight session. The transport, insurance, industrials, consumer goods and real estate counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed more than 30 points or 0.27% to 11,077.07 points, although it touched an intraday high of 11,119 points. The Arab individuals were increasingly net profit takers in the main market, whose year-to-date gains truncated further to 4.79%. About 79% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR2.02bn or 0.37% to QR661.33bn, mainly on small and microcap segments. The foreign retail investors were seen increasingly net sellers in the main market, which saw as many as 2,642 exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.02mn trade across six deals. However, the domestic funds were increasingly bullish in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline. The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The local retail investors were increasingly net buyers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds. The Total Return Index shrank 0.27%, the All Share Index by 0.31% and the All Islamic Index by 0.14% in the main market. The transport sector index tanked 1.84%, insurance (0.73%), industrials (0.58%), consumer goods and services (0.41%), real estate (0.38%) and banks and financial services (0.1%); while telecom gained 1.24%. Major shakers in the main market include Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, QLM, Milaha, Nakilat, Gulf Warehousing Company, Commercial Bank, Salam International Investment, Qatar Electricity and Water, and Mazaya Qatar. In the juniour bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value. Nevertheless, Ooredoo, QIIB, Qatar Islamic Bank, Ahlibank Qatar and Widam Food were among the gainers in the main market. The foreign institutions’ net selling expanded substantially to QR35.67mn compared to QR6.14mn the previous day. The Arab retail investors’ net selling strengthened noticeably to QR8.41mn against QR3.69mn on September 9. The foreign individuals’ net profit booking increased marginally to QR2.99mn compared to QR2.51mn on Tuesday. However, the domestic institutions’ net buying grew drastically to QR22.07mn against QR0.64mn the previous day. The local individual investors’ net buying rose perceptibly to QR18.36mn compared to QR15.44mn on September 9. The Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR5.78mn against net profit takers of QR3.78mn on Tuesday. The Gulf individual investors’ net buying increased marginally to QR0.84mn compared to QR0.05mn the previous day. The Arab institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR0.05mn against no major net exposure for the last seven days. The main market saw 18% contraction in trade volumes to 101.23mn shares, 10% in value to QR354.14mn and 21% in deals to 19,895. In the venture market, a total of 0.5mn equities valued at QR1.31mn changed hands across 60 transactions.