Qatar records budget deficit of $373m as revenue dips

Qatar recorded a budget deficit of QAR1.4bn ($373.29m) in the third quarter of 2025, which was financed through debt instruments, the finance ministry said on Thursday.

Total revenue fell 4 percent year-on-year in the quarter from the prior year period, to QAR49.2bn, while spending was at QAR50.6bn, 1.2 per cent lower than last year, according to government data. Oil prices averaged around $68 per barrel during the quarter.

Qatar, among the world’s top exporters of liquefied natural gas, raised $4bn from debt markets earlier this month, which attracted hefty demand from global investors.

It also recorded a deficit in the second quarter as public spending rose 5.7 per cent from a year earlier and lower oil prices weighed on revenue.

Like other Gulf states, Qatar has invested billions to develop sectors such as tourism to diversify its own economy but remains largely reliant on hydrocarbon income.