RIYADH: Qatar recorded a foreign merchandise trade balance surplus of 57.7 billion Qatari riyals ($15.8 billion) in the third quarter of 2024, down 5 percent year on year, new data revealed.

Merchandise trade balance surplus is the difference between total exports and imports.

According to figures released by the Gulf nation’s Planning and Statistics Authority, the country’s total exports in the third quarter of 2024 — including domestic goods and re-exports — were valued at 87.8 billion riyals. This represents a 2.2 percent decline compared to the same period in 2023.

The value of Qatar’s imports during the same period amounted to 30.1 billion riyals, up 4.1 percent compared to the same quarter in 2023.

The figures fall in with the nation’s trajectory to restore government revenues to pre-2014 oil price shock levels and double its economy by 2031, according to an analysis by Standard Chartered in August.

The data also reflects the steady growth of Qatar’s non-oil economy, contributing to two-thirds of the country’s gross domestic product.

Exports breakdown

The figures further disclosed that the drop in exports is mainly attributed to lower exports of mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials by 5 billion riyals, or 6.5 percent, and miscellaneous manufactured articles by 100 million riyals, or 22 percent.

Increases were mainly recorded in chemicals and related products by 1.5 billion riyals, or 24.5 percent, machinery and transport equipment by 1.2 billion riyals, or 53.3 percent, and manufactured goods classified chiefly by material by 400 billion riyals, or 17.1 percent.

Exports of crude materials, inedible, except fuels, also witnessed a rise of 100 million, or 24.8 percent.

Imports breakdown

The rise in import values is mainly linked to increases in machinery and transport equipment by 800 million riyals, or 6.7 percent, chemicals and related products by 400 million riyals, or 17.2 percent, and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials by 320 million riyals, or 58.2 percent.

Imports of food and live animals also jumped by 300 million riyals or 9.8 percent.

Meanwhile, decreases were recorded mainly in miscellaneous manufactured articles by 400 million, or 6.7 percent as well as manufactured goods classified chiefly by material by 300 million, or 7.7 percent.

Principal destinations

The PSA data showed that Asia was the principal destination of exports for the country, representing 75.9 percent, as well as the primary origin of Qatar’s imports, accounting for 39.7 percent.

The Gulf Cooperation Council followed, accounting for 11.6 percent of exports and 11.3 percent of imports, respectively.

The EU came next, with 7.7 percent of exports and 26 percent of imports.

SINGAPORE: Oil prices nudged higher on Thursday, the first day of trade for 2025, as investors returning from holidays cautiously eyed a recovery in China’s economy and fuel demand following a pledge by President Xi Jinping to promote growth, according to Reuters. 

Brent crude futures rose 17 cents, or 0.06 percent, to $74.82 a barrel by 08:47 a.m. Saudi time after settling up 65 cents on Tuesday, the last trading day for 2024. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 19 cents, or 0.26 percent, to $71.91 a barrel after closing 73 cents higher in the previous session. 

China’s Xi said on Tuesday in his New Year’s address that the country would implement more proactive policies to promote growth in 2025. 

China’s factory activity grew in December, according to the private-sector Caixin/S&P Global survey on Thursday, but at a slower than expected pace amid concerns over the trade outlook and risks from tariffs proposed by US President-elect Donald Trump. 

The data echoed an official survey released on Tuesday that showed China’s manufacturing activity barely grew in December, though services and construction recovered. The data suggested policy stimulus is trickling into some sectors as China braces for new trade risks. 

Traders are returning to their desks and probably weighing higher geopolitical risks and also the impact of Trump running the US economy red hot versus the impact of tariffs, IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said. 

“Tomorrow’s US ISM manufacturing release will be key to crude oil’s next move,” Sycamore added. 

Sycamore said WTI’s weekly chart is winding itself into a tighter range, which suggests a big move is coming. 

“Rather than trying to predict in which way the break will occur, we would be inclined to wait for the break and then go with it,” he added. 

Investors are also awaiting weekly US oil stocks data from the Energy Information Administration that has been delayed until Thursday due to the New Year holiday. 

US crude oil and distillate stockpiles are expected to have fallen last week while gasoline inventories likely rose, an extended Reuters poll showed on Tuesday.  

US oil demand surged to the highest levels since the pandemic in October at 21.01 million barrels per day, up about 700,000 bpd from September, EIA data showed on Tuesday. 

Crude output from the world’s top producer rose to a record 13.46 million bpd in October, up 260,000 bpd from September, the report showed. 

In 2025, oil prices are likely to be constrained near $70 a barrel, down for a third year after a 3 percent decline in 2024, as weak Chinese demand and rising global supplies offset efforts by OPEC+ to shore up the market, a Reuters monthly poll showed. 

In Europe, Russia halted gas exports via Soviet-era pipelines running through Ukraine on New Year’s Day. The widely expected stoppage will not impact prices for consumers in the EU as some buyers have arranged alternative supply, while Hungary will keep receiving Russian gas via the TurkStream pipeline under the Black Sea.