Foreign investments, including foreign direct investment (FDI) and portfolio investment, in Qatar, amounted to QR722.6bn by the end of the first quarter of this year, recording a month-on-month increase of 1.1 percent, or QR7.9bn, compared to QR714.7bn reported for the previous quarter (Q4 2018), findings of an official survey show.
When compared on yearly basis, the level of investments in Qatar increased by QR44.9bn, or 6.6 percent, in Q1 2019 compared to QR677.7bn reported for the corresponding quarter last year (Q1 2018), according to the quarterly Foreign Investment survey by the Planning and Statistics Authority and Qatar Central Bank.
Qatar’s FDI has increased by QR400m to QR123.7bn in Q1 2019 from QR123.3bn in the previous quarter. On year-on-year, it has slipped marginally by QR200m compared to QR123.9bn in Q1, 2018.
The survey covers major enterprises – private and public – operating in the national economy. It targeted some of the largest enterprises in the private sector which accounted for 84 percent of the value of inward FDI of non-banks enterprises in 2016, while QCB surveyed all financial institutions under its supervision.
Other foreign investments accounted for 67.9 percent, or QR490.5bn, followed by foreign direct investment at QR123.7bn, or 17.1 percent, portfolio investments at QR105.6bn, or 14.6 percent, and financial derivatives at QR2.8bn, or 0.4 percent, of the total liabilities.
The portfolio investments, which include financial securities and investments in the equity market, recorded month-on-month growth of 5.7 percent (QR5.7bn) compared to QR99.9bn in Q4 2018. When compared on a yearly basis, the level of portfolio investment in Qatar has increased by over 11 percent, or QR10.5bn, against QR95.1bn in Q1 2018.
Qatar’s assets with non-residents (outward investment) at the end of Q1 2019 increased by QR17.7bn from QR392.2bn at the end of the previous quarter to QR409.9bn.
Other foreign investments consisting of long-term loans and trade-related short term financial instruments, at the end of Q1 2019, accounted for 53.3 percent, or QR218.6bn, of the total assets, followed by foreign direct investment abroad at QR153.8bn, or 37.5 percent, portfolio investments (financial securities) at QR37.3bn, or 9.1 percent, and financial derivatives at QR200m, or 0.05 percent, of the total assets.
During Q1 2019, stock of outward FDI had increased by QR7bn due to net outflows of FDI and other changes during the quarter, noted the findings of the survey.
Qatar’s’ Foreign Other Investment to the rest of the world, at the end of Q1 2019, increased by QR11.1bn to QR218.6bn from QR207.5bn in Q4 2018. On year-on-year, it has increased by QR1.6bn compared to QR217bn in Q1 2018.
While Qatar’s outward portfolio investment, at the end of Q1 2019, almost remain stable at QR37.3bn, showering only a marginal decline of QR200m (QR0.2bn) from the previous quarter. On a yearly basis, it has declined by QR800m (QR0.8bn) against QR38.1bn in Q1 2018.
The Peninsula
17/07/2019
