Doha: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index concluded the current week with an increase of 1.41 percent, gaining 134.590 points to reach the level of 9,667 points, supported by the performance of four sectors, mainly the transport sector that rose by 3.610 percent.

In this context, financial market analyst Youssef Bouhlaiqa told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the state of anticipation for the decision of the US Federal Reserve regarding interest rates cast a shadow over the QSE performance during the current week.

On Wednesday, the US Federal Reserve decided to keep US interest rates unchanged in the range of 5.50 percent, at their highest level in 22 years.

Bouhlaiqa expected that the QSE would witness a positive performance in the coming period, as stocks are expected to witness noticeable increases with the beginning of the announcement of the results of companies listed on the QSE.

He noted that all indications point to achieving a better performance than what was achieved in the same period last year.

Bouhlaiqa also pointed out that a decision to reduce interest rates in the coming period will support the performance of companies that have long suffered from continuous interest hikes,
in addition to inflationary pressures that have significantly negatively affected investor sentiment in the markets.

The financial market analyst added that the stock markets will benefit from stabilizing the interest rate, as the signal of reducing it by three-quarters of a point is expected to support the lending market, which will have a positive impact on the financial markets.

He also pointed out that after the Eid holiday, the QSE will be on a date with the listing of Qatar Electronic Systems Company - Techno Q (a Qatari public shareholding company) in the second market (the emerging companies’ market) on the QSE, as of Wednesday, June 26, so that the total number of companies will increase, raising the number to four companies that listed their shares on the emerging companies’ market since the market opened in 2021.

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