Capital Markets

After a banner year in 2014, Qatar’s capital markets endured a period of volatility in 2015. The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) ended 2015 down around 15% on the previous year, according to data from the exchange. Market participants and observers alike attributed the drop to fluctuating investor sentiment linked to the continued decline of energy prices, contracting government spending and tightening banking sector liquidity across the GCC region and further afield. Despite these and other challenges, in 2015 and 2016 thus far Qatar’s capital market has developed rapidly, with the QSE rolling out new products, upgrading trading tools and laying the groundwork for future growth across a range of market segments.

This chapter contains an interview with Abdulla bin Fahad bin Ghorab Al Marri, Chairman, Qatar First Bank.