Artificial Intelligence Qatar opts for AI to boost public services Qatar’s government has signed a five-year deal with artificial intelligence (AI) data company Scale AI to deploy AI-powered tools and training. It is an attempt to improve government services in the Gulf state, a senior Scale AI executive told Reuters on Sunday. “(This deal) can be a blueprint for other governments around the world, and […] February 24, 2025
Markets JPMorgan to remove Qatar and Kuwait from EM bond index JPMorgan will remove Qatar and Kuwait’s government bonds from its influential Emerging Market bond index, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is on course to follow next year, due to rising income levels in the Middle East. The US investment bank, whose EMBI indexes are the main global benchmark of EM debt, said it will […] February 21, 2025
Banking & Finance Qatar’s $3bn bond issue oversubscribed four times Orders for Qatar’s $3 billion bonds attracted bids of more than $12 billion, with spreads tightening significantly amid high demand, a news report said. The three-year senior unsecured notes of $1 billion were priced at 30 basis points (bps) over US treasuries compared to the initial pricing of 60 bps, Bloomberg reported, quoting informed sources. […] February 21, 2025
Analysis Real Estate How Qatar escaped a World Cup property glut Three years on, it is clear that Qatar has by and large avoided what plagued many of its World Cup host predecessors – the big White Elephant. In spite of a rush of building projects to open a slew of new hotels and apartments for the November-December 2022 event, the gas-rich nation was shrewd enough […] February 21, 2025
Trade Qatar to invest $10bn in India and launch free trade talks Qatar has agreed to invest $10 billion in India as trade ties between the two deepen. The countries have committed to double the level of imports and exports to $28 billion in the next five years and to establish a free trade agreement. A joint statement said Qatar would explore investment opportunities in sectors including […] February 19, 2025
Retail India’s Tata Group in talks to acquire stake in Damas Titan Company, the watches and jewellery arm of Indian conglomerate Tata Group, is in talks with Qatar-based Mannai Corporation to acquire a significant stake in Damas Jewellery, a news report said. The discussions, which began a year earlier, revolve around Damas’s valuation, estimated at Rs 45 billion ($518 million), the Economic Times, an Indian financial […] February 18, 2025
Aviation Australia likely to approve Qatar Airways-Virgin deal The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is leaning towards approving a five-year deal between Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia, allowing them to sell long-haul return flights starting in June, the watchdog said. The approval, if granted, will allow the two airlines to commence 28 new weekly return flights between Doha and Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. […] February 18, 2025
Analysis Trade Gulf-South America trade surges as economies grow When Dubai’s Emirates airline started flying from Dubai to Bogotá in Colombia last summer, it not only provided a vital link between the two cities but also highlighted growing trade and investment links between the Gulf and South America. UAE-Argentina non-oil trade surged more than 70 percent last year to $537 million, according to the […] February 17, 2025
Business of Sport Contractors invited to bid for Qatar racecourse expansion Qatar has started inviting contractors to bid on the expansion of its second-largest horse racecourse. The design and build contract covers the development of the fourth phase of the Al Uqda equestrian complex. This covers expansion of the existing track, a new straight racecourse, an additional grandstand of 5,000 square metres for spectators, a new […] February 11, 2025
Oil & Gas Pakistan weighs revising terms of Qatar LNG deal Pakistan’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) pact with Qatar allows for either party to initiate renegotiation talks next year but no decision has been taken on whether to do this, Pakistan’s petroleum minister told Reuters. Musadik Malik was clarifying comments made to a parliamentary committee on energy, as reported in local newspaper The News, which had […] February 10, 2025
Tourism Qatar stopover initiative draws thousands more visitors An initiative encouraging passengers passing through Qatar to stay a night in the country has already sold more than 100,000 room nights this year. Launched in August 2021, the Discover Qatar Stopover Programme allows travellers with Qatar Airways and its codeshare partners to book overnight stays from anywhere between one and four nights at lower […] February 6, 2025
Manufacturing Qatari AI company invests in Scottish hydrogen lorry maker Qatari AI software supplier Excelledia Ventures has invested in a Scottish HGV manufacturer that is developing zero-emission hydrogen-electric trucks. Glasgow-based Hydrogen Vehicle Systems (HVS) has developed an AI emissions reduction technology that optimises diesel, battery and hydrogen-powered trucks to enhance efficiency and reduce emissions. The hydrogen HGV that HVS is developing has a range of […] January 31, 2025
Analysis Tax GCC weighs impact of Trump’s global corporate tax moves Tax professionals in the Gulf are assessing how President Donald Trump’s pull-back of US support for an international corporate tax framework might affect GCC states’ implementation of it. In a day-one executive order last week, the returning US president repudiated “any commitment” made by the previous Biden administration toward the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and […] January 30, 2025
Tech Qatar leads funding for quantum computing company Alice & Bob, a Paris-based quantum computing company, has raised $104 million in a Series B funding round led by an investment joint venture between Qatar Investment Authority and Bpifrance. The funding will accelerate the development of the French company’s quantum computing platform, which utilises its “cat qubit” technology. A qubit (quantum bit) is the […] January 28, 2025
Agriculture Livestock imports from Qatar and Egypt banned by China China has banned imports of sheep and goats from Egypt and animals and meat products from Qatar and nine other countries after outbreaks of highly infectious disease in those countries. The ban, which includes processed and unprocessed products, comes after China’s General Administration of Customs issued a series of announcements outlining the outbreaks in several countries based […] January 27, 2025
Economy Qatar introduces laws to encourage foreign money Qatar will launch three laws to deal with bankruptcy, public-private partnerships and commercial registration, commerce and economy, minister Sheikh Faisal Al Thani has said. The laws aim to attract foreign investment as competition grows from regional countries, particularly the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The government is reviewing 27 laws and regulations across 17 ministries which […] January 23, 2025
Tech QIA alert to Trump’s tech push The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is open to exploring further technology investment opportunities, as it expects a sharp increase in US tech deals under the Trump administration. The presence of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos at President Donald Trump’s inauguration suggests his government will be supportive of the tech industry, Mohammed Al Hardan, the head of technology, media […] January 23, 2025
Analysis Sustainability Climate and cost: the Gulf’s water scarcity challenge Over the past 18 months, Saudi Arabia has set up a Global Water Organisation, established a stand-alone Saudi Water Authority and presided over the One Water Summit in Riyadh. At the summit on December 5, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called for “collective action” to address water scarcity in the region and around the world. […] January 17, 2025
Analysis Banking & Finance Problem loans soar at Qatar National Bank’s Turkish unit Qatar National Bank (QNB), the Middle East and Africa’s largest lender by assets, this week reported another solid set of annual earnings. Yet within its financials lurks a potentially worrying statistic: rising loan defaults by consumers and small companies. As the Qatari government’s lender of choice – the state owns half the bank – QNB […] January 16, 2025
Retail Sales rise 18% for airport retailer Qatar Duty Free Airport retailer Qatar Duty Free has reported an 18 percent sales increase for 2024. The rise was higher than passenger growth at Hamad International Airport in Doha, which increased 15 percent to 52.7 million. Qatar Duty Free, a subsidiary of Qatar Airways that owns and operates the airport’s shopping and food outlets, did not release […] January 14, 2025
