Latest News

Qatar's first-quarter budget surplus slips to $549 mln

Qatar recorded a budget plan surplus of 2 billion riyals ($ 548.9 million) in the first quarter of 2024, the financing ministry stated on Sunday, below 19.7 billion riyals a year previously.

Total income for the quarter was down 22.1% at 53.4 billion riyals, of which 47.3 billion riyals was oil and gas income, the ministry stated on social networks platform X, while non-oil earnings totaled up to 6.1 billion riyals.

The Gulf Arab state, amongst the world's largest exporters of melted natural gas (LNG), in December projection that oil and gas earnings would fall by 14.5% in 2024 while non-oil revenue is expected to increase by about 2.4%.

First-quarter costs stood at 51.4 billion riyals, up 5%. year on year, the ministry added.

The budget surplus is anticipated to go towards paying back. Qatar's public debt, the ministry stated.

Asian area LNG rates have risen in current weeks on stronger. demand, but prices collapsed in the very first quarter to their. most affordable in nearly 3 years as need damaged due to the fact that of. greater than normal temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere. winter season.

Asian and European gas costs rose to record highs in 2022. after Russia's intrusion of Ukraine and the subsequent stop in. Russian gas materials to Europe.

State-owned QatarEnergy in February announced a new. expansion of LNG production that will bring total capacity to. 142 million metric lots per year, an 85 per cent boost on. current output.

(source: Reuters)