#Qatar

Qatar Central Bank’s foreign currency reserves rise to QAR211.325bn in July

The official reserves stood at QAR153.890bn by the end of July, a considerable rise over last year’s reserves of QAR4.775bn

Gulf deals

Cash-rich Gulf funds splurge on mega deals as liquidity dries up

The region’s largest sovereign wealth funds have been involved in at least $28.6bn worth of acquisitions outside the Middle East and Africa this year

Kuwait Finance House

Kuwait lender KFH to buy Bahrain’s Ahli United for $11.6bn

The potential combination would create the Gulf’s seventh-largest lender with $115bn in assets

Hospitality Tourism

An industry in motion: Stakeholders across hospitality, tourism space share key insights

Executives share their views on the growth and future prospects of their sectors

Qatar brings global photography app Explorest to the Middle East

Qatar Tourism brings global photography app Explorest to Middle East

Travel photographers wishing to capture images can download the app which will soon feature on Qatar Tourism’s website

Microsoft Qatar

Microsoft deepens investment in Qatar with opening of new office

The office will play a vital role as an innovation hub for technology startups, students, and community organisations from across Qatar

World Cup host Qatar demurs on VAT, will wait for ‘right time’

“We will look to the right time to apply such taxes” – Finance Minister Ali Al Kuwari

Tesla shares give up gains on renewed prospect of Musk buying Twitter

Musk says ‘a few unresolved matters’ on Twitter deal

Musk has said he wanted to put the takeover “on hold” while he investigated how many of Twitter’s users are real people

central bank

UAE Central Bank raises base rate by 75 basis points

Central banks across the GCC have also raised their interest rates

Qatar expansion

Julius Baer to expand into Qatar to drive regional expansion

Julius Baer has hired Slim Bouker, Doha Bank’s head of private banking, to oversee the expansion

Toufic Kreidieh, Co-founder and CEO of Brands For Less Group

Brands For Less’ Toufic Kreidieh on the company’s recent expansion

The co-founder and CEO spoke to Gulf Business about the company’s recent expansion to Qatar and other key retail trends in the region

Qatar exports surge as demand for gas climbs on Ukraine crisis

China was the top destination of Qatar’s exports in April with close to QR6.6bn riyals

Saudia qatar

Saudia to operate hundreds of extra flights during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

From November 21, the airline will operate 60 special daily flights for fans which will run from both Riyadh and Jeddah to Doha

Qatar

Qatar world cup shuttle flights set to buoy Gulf tourism

The shuttle service will initially connect Doha with Dubai, Muscat, Riyadh, Jeddah and Kuwait City

Sheikh Khalifa

The world offers tributes to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan passed away on May 13, at age 73

Oil exporters bagging $818bn windfall are cautioned by IMF

The IMF said it expects the bonanza “to improve fiscal and external balances” in a region that includes 13 exporters in total

Qatar brings global photography app Explorest to the Middle East

Mannai surges after plan to sell Inetum at $2bn valuation

The shares jumped 10 per cent in Doha to the highest level since 2016, taking their gains this year to 114 per cent

Doha world cup qatar

Hayya Card mandatory for all visitors to Qatar during the 2022 FIFA World Cup

At the moment, the card is only being issued to those who have a ticket for the tournament

Getty Images - Car rental

UAE’s car rental platform Selfdrive launches in Qatar and Bahrain

The company aims to acquire 50-65 per cent of the digital rental market share in these markets

Oman

Oman to allow full foreign ownership in listed companies

Muscat Clearing and Depository finalised measures to open up the market

Dar Al Arkan Elie Saab

Dar Al Arkan teams up with Elie Saab for new residential project in Qatar

Les Vagues will feature 70 one-, two- and three-bedroom sea-front residences

Qatar

Qatar updates Covid-19 PCR testing rules for inbound citizens and residents

Vaccinated citizens and residents are not required to conduct a pre-departure PCR test before travelling to Qatar, provided that the country they are departing from is not on the red list

Qatar considers refinancing $10bn debt due next year

No final decision has been made

Qatar capital Doha

Qatar pushes Gulf Arab energy company borrowing to record high

Gulf Arab energy firms borrowed $30.5bn in 2021, the highest level in at least 25 years

Rolls-Royce to get Qatari funding for small nuclear reactors

Qatar will invest $112m in Rolls-Royce SMR, the separate unit created for the project

Urban farming startup Infarm gets funding from Qatar wealth fund

The investment will be used to expand to more fruits and vegetables and open its first centre in Qatar in 2023

Qatar’s record bet on London homes sees $900m of sales

With construction complete on roughly 80 luxury homes at Chelsea Barracks, 92 per cent of the finished properties have found owners

Gulf leaders stress need for joint security, approve establishment of GCC Railways Authority

The GCC Supreme Council also urged for the need to accelerate the establishment of a joint customs union and the GCC Common Market

Saudi Crown Prince arrives in Qatar after completing UAE trip

The visit marks the first by the Saudi leader since the GCC rift with Qatar was ended in January this year

Qatar Doha

Qatar adds UAE, UK to travel red list

Effective Monday, November 15, there are 21 countries on Qatar’s red list