DUBAI- Qatar Development Bank has extended by three months a national programme to provide guarantees to local banks to grant interest-free loans to companies affected by the coronavirus outbreak, state news agency QNA said on Wednesday.

The cabinet decision also raised the ceiling of the guarantees to 5 billion Qatari riyals, from 3 billion. The National Guarantee Programme was launched in April.

(Writing by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Jan Harvey) ((lisa.barrington@thomsonreuters.com;))