The Qatar Financial Markets Authority has published its 2024 Annual Report, outlining regulatory developments, supervisory activity and internal initiatives across the Qatari capital market. The report highlights rulemaking and amendments, oversight of listings, mergers and acquisitions, governance and disclosure monitoring, enforcement activity, and progress on surveillance, AML/CFT and technology programmes. Key 2024 outputs included the issuance of Insider Trading Rules and Controls of Company’s Buyback of its Own Shares with the Intent of Selling, alongside amendments to requirements covering ownership of shares in companies listed on Qatar Stock Exchange, dividend distribution rules for listed shareholding companies, and the buyback controls. The authority reported work to consolidate offering and listing requirements into a single Offering & Listing of Securities Rulebook, which is being developed in preparation for issuance. Market activity covered in the report included the listing of 55 government debt instruments (treasury bills and debt bonds) with a total nominal value of QAR 51 billion, and five completed acquisitions valued at QAR 583 million (QAR 43 million inside the State and QAR 540 million outside the State). On governance and disclosure, QFMA reviewed listed companies’ compliance with the Governance Code for Companies & Legal Entities in the Main Market, received 48 corporate governance reports for 2023 and related external auditor reports, and reported an overall compliance rate of 99% with the Corporate Governance Code articles for 2022, with 2023 sector compliance ranging from 100% (Transportation and Telecoms) to 98% (Industrials). The Disciplinary Committee held 15 hearings, registered eight violations and adjudicated 13 violations, with violation values totalling QAR 5.690 million. The report also notes that the consolidated Offering & Listing of Securities Rulebook is being finalised ahead of issuance.

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