Qatar's trade balance surplus fell by 13.1% in February, compared to January, amid increasing difficulties Doha faces in the export sector.

Despite the improvement in crude oil prices in February, which is supposed to improve the value of exports, the balance of trade surplus recorded a decline, due to the decline in the value of exports in general, according to the Al Ain portal.

According to data from the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics, yesterday, the value of the surplus of the Qatari trade balance (the difference between the value of exports and imports) reached SR 13.77 billion (US $ 3.785 billion) last February. ($ 4.354 billion), according to official data.

Doha faces difficulties in exports abroad, due to the consequences of the Arab boycott since 2017, which led to the high cost of transportation, with the decline of shipping lines and another closure to the navigation of Qatar.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut off diplomatic relations with Qatar in June 2017 because of Doha's support for terrorism.

On a monthly basis, Qatar's exports abroad fell by 9.1% in February, bringing the total exports to 22.260 billion riyals ($ 6.12 billion) compared to 24.663 billion riyals ($ 6.78 billion) in January 2019.

Qatar's public sector deposits continued to decline since the Arab boycott of Doha, as a recent report by the Qatar Central Bank showed that public sector deposits fell by 17.95 billion riyals ($ 4.929 billion) in February, Last year.

According to Central Bank of Qatar data, the total value of Qatari public sector deposits reached QR 292.53 billion at the end of February. Total deposits amounted to QR 310.46 billion at the end of February 2018, a decrease of SR 17.9 billion.

Doha has continued to ignore the crisis of liquidity shortage in the domestic market in recent months. Official data showed that bank deposits, loan surpluses in Qatar, inflationary pressures contracted due to lack of liquidity, and the lack of liquidity in the country, the government and private sector institutions, To issue debt instruments (bonds, warrants, sukuk) to provide liquidity to sustain their market operations.

According to recent data issued by the Qatar Central Bank, the total claims of local banks to the Qatari public sector rose by about 7 billion riyals in January to 325.57 billion riyals.

Qatar has continued to drain liquidity from the domestic market and pump it into the US bond market. An official report by the US Treasury Department showed that Qatar raised its investment in US bonds and bonds to $ 1.204 billion by the end of January, ignoring its liquidity crisis The local market of Doha.

Earlier this month, Qatar's Ministry of Finance announced that it had issued $ 12 billion worth of bonds in global financial markets, spread over three segments with a maturity span of five to 30 years.

Qatar's energy company Nebras is considering selling its stake in PT Byton Energy, one of Indonesia's largest independent energy producers, the Bloomberg news agency reported.

The sources said Nebras' 35.5 percent stake in Baytown could be worth more than $ 1 billion, noting that the company had held preliminary talks with potential financial advisers, but did not start a formal sale.

Qatar established Qatar-based Nebras in 2014 to help build a group of global energy assets. The company is controlled by the Qatar Electricity and Water Company and the state sovereign wealth fund. Nebras bought its stake in Baytown from Enge, For energy in 2016.

Qatar's stock market fell yesterday as its leading shares fell. The Qatar index fell 0.2%, or 24.67 points, to 9924.35 points. Qatar National Bank fell 1.5% and Qatar Petroleum fell 3.4%.

Doha's exports fell by 9.1%.

17.9

Billion riyals decline

Public sector deposits

In February.

325

Billion riyals

Bank claims

Local public sector.