Qatar may not need to issue an international bond in 2017 as pressure on the emirate’s state finances is easing, Finance Minister Sharif al-‘Imadi said this week. The minister added that with oil prices “close to breakeven levels,” though a new bond issue remains an option for 2017, no decision has been taken yet.
The Qatari budget announced in December was based on an oil price assumption of $45/B with a projected QR28.3bn ($7.8bn) deficit (MEES, 23 December 2016): prices have averaged $55/B since the start of 2017. (CONTINUED - 299 WORDS)
