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1 QSE Intra-Day Movement 10,000 9,980 9,960 9,940 9,920 9,900 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 Qatar Commentary The QSE Index rose marginally to close at 9, Gains were led by the Real Estate and Insurance indices, gaining 1.5% and 0.9%, respectively. Top gainers were Doha Insurance Group and Islamic Holding Group, rising 8.9% and 6.0%, respectively. Among the top losers, Al Khaleej Takaful Insurance Company fell 4.5%, while Ahli Bank was down 3.2%. GCC Commentary Saudi Arabia: The TASI Index fell 0.4% to close at 8, Losses were led by the Pharma, Biotech and Capital Goods indices, falling 1.7% and 1.1%, respectively. Arabian Shield Coop. declined 10.0%, while Wafrah for Ind. & Dev. was down 5.9%. Dubai: The DFM General Index declined 0.2% to close at 2, The Services index fell 1.2%, while the Real Estate & Const. index declined 0.7%. Drake & Scull International fell 3.5%, while Khaleeji Commercial Bank was down 3.3%. Abu Dhabi: The ADX General Index fell 0.7% to close at 4, The Energy index declined 1.8%, while the Consumer Staples index fell 1.7%. Invest Bank declined 9.3%, while Ras Al Khaimah for White Cement was down 7.4%. Kuwait: The Kuwait Main Market Index rose 0.1% to close at 4, The Basic Material index gained 0.8%, while the Technology index rose 0.7%. National Shooting Company gained 7.3%, while Warba Insurance Company was up 6.8%. Oman: The MSM 30 Index fell 0.3% to close at 4, Losses were led by the Industrial and Services indices, falling 1.0% and 0.2%, respectively. Raysut Cement fell 9.9%, while Dhofar Int. Dev. and Inv. Holding was down 3.5%. Bahrain: The BHB Index fell 0.3% to close at 1, The Investment index declined 0.5%, while the Commercial Banks index fell 0.4%. Investcorp Bank declined 3.8%, while Al Salam Bank - Bahrain was down 1.9%. QSE Top Gainers Close* 1D% Vol. 000 YTD% Doha Insurance Group (4.3) Islamic Holding Group (22.5) Qatari Investors Group (11.9) Ezdan Holding Group ,477.6 (15.6) Qatar International Islamic Bank Market Indicators 02 Aug Aug 18 %Chg. Value Traded (QR mn) (22.8) Exch. Market Cap. (QR mn) 550, , Volume (mn) Number of Transactions 3,808 3,827 (0.5) Companies Traded Market Breadth 21:14 26:13 Market Indices Close 1D% WTD% YTD% TTM P/E Total Return 17, All Share Index 2, Banks 3, (0.1) Industrials 3, Transportation 2, Real Estate 1, (3.8) 15.7 Insurance 3, (7.7) 30.1 Telecoms 1, (0.0) (3.5) (8.2) 39.6 Consumer 6, (0.5) Al Rayan Islamic Index 3, GCC Top Gainers ## Exchange Close # 1D% Vol. 000 YTD% Taiba Holding Co. Saudi Arabia (11.2) Qatar Int. Islamic Bank Qatar Middle East Health. Co. Saudi Arabia Mabanee Co. Kuwait (0.4) Agility Public Ware. Co. Kuwait , GCC Top Losers ## Exchange Close # 1D% Vol. 000 YTD% Raysut Cement Oman 0.44 (9.9) 39.3 (43.8) National Mobile Telecom. Kuwait 0.80 (2.5) 5.0 (26.4) Saudi Int. Petrochemical Saudi Arabia (2.3) Bupa Arabia for Coop. Ins. Saudi Arabia (2.1) 49.1 (11.6) Kuwait Projects Co. Kuwait 0.23 (2.1) 1,472.5 (27.3) Source: Bloomberg (# in Local Currency) (## GCC Top gainers/losers derived from the S&P GCC Composite Large Mid Cap Index) QSE Top Losers Close* 1D% Vol. 000 YTD% Al Khaleej Takaful Insurance Co (4.5) (20.0) Ahli Bank (3.2) 0.4 (17.3) Qatar Industrial Manuf. Co (1.5) 5.1 (6.0) The Commercial Bank (1.2) Al Meera Consumer Goods Co (0.6) QSE Top Volume Trades Close* 1D% Vol. 000 YTD% Ezdan Holding Group ,477.6 (15.6) Vodafone Qatar 9.18 (0.1) Qatar Gas Transport Company Ltd Al Khaleej Takaful Insurance Co (4.5) (20.0) Mazaya Qatar Real Estate Dev (19.4) Regional Indices Close 1D% WTD% MTD% YTD% QSE Top Value Trades Close* 1D% Val. 000 YTD% QNB Group (0.0) 21, Industries Qatar , Ezdan Holding Group ,210.0 (15.6) Qatar Gas Transport Co. Ltd , The Commercial Bank (1.2) 12, Source: Bloomberg (* in QR) Exch. Val. Traded ($ mn) Exchange Mkt. Cap. ($ mn) P/E** P/B** Dividend Yield Qatar* 9, , Dubai 2, (0.2) (11.8) , Abu Dhabi 4, (0.7) (0.7) (1.0) , Saudi Arabia 8, (0.4) (1.4) (0.5) , , Kuwait 4, (0.1) , Oman 4, (0.3) (0.2) (0.2) (15.2) , Bahrain 1, (0.3) (1.4) (0.7) , Source: Bloomberg, Qatar Stock Exchange, Tadawul, Muscat Securities Market and Dubai Financial Market (** TTM; * Value traded ($ mn) do not include special trades, if any) Page 1 of 8

2 Qatar Market Commentary The QSE Index rose marginally to close at 9, The Real Estate and Insurance indices led the gains. The index rose on the back of buying support from non-qatari shareholders despite selling pressure from Qatari and GCC shareholders. Doha Insurance Group and Islamic Holding Group were the top gainers, rising 8.9% and 6.0%, respectively. Among the top losers, Al Khaleej Takaful Insurance Company fell 4.5%, while Ahli Bank was down 3.2%. Volume of shares traded on Thursday rose by 10.1% to 7.3mn from 6.6mn on Wednesday. Further, as compared to the 30-day moving average of 7.1mn, volume for the day was 2.7% higher. Ezdan Holding Group and Vodafone Qatar were the most active stocks, contributing 20.2% and 11.9% to the total volume, respectively. Overall Activity Buy %* Sell %* Net (QR) Qatari Individuals 42.15% 45.98% (7,050,585.05) Qatari Institutions 2.59% 13.88% (20,781,580.13) Qatari 44.74% 59.86% (27,832,165.18) GCC Individuals 1.81% 1.20% 1,138, GCC Institutions 1.62% 4.56% (5,406,782.12) GCC 3.43% 5.76% (4,268,362.44) Non-Qatari Individuals 12.77% 12.73% 72, Non-Qatari Institutions 39.05% 21.65% 32,028, Non-Qatari 51.82% 34.38% 32,100, Source: Qatar Stock Exchange (* as a % of traded value) Earnings Releases, Global Economic Data and Earnings Calendar Earnings Releases Company Market Currency Revenue (mn) 2Q2018 % Change YoY Operating Profit (mn) 2Q2018 % Change YoY Net Profit (mn) 2Q2018 % Change Bupa Arabia for Cooperative Insurance Co. Saudi Arabia SR 2, % % Alinma Tokio Marine Co. # Saudi Arabia SR % % Wataniya Insurance Co. Saudi Arabia SR % % Al Hassan Ghazi Ibrahim Shaker Co. Saudi Arabia SR N/A N/A Raydan Co. Saudi Arabia SR % % Saudi Steel Pipe Co. Saudi Arabia SR N/A N/A Lazurde Company for Jewelry Saudi Arabia SR % % Saudi Ceramic Co. Saudi Arabia SR N/A N/A Tourism Enterprise Co. Saudi Arabia SR -1.1 N/A -1.3 N/A Astra Industrial Group Saudi Arabia SR % % Al-Jouf Agricultural Development Co. Saudi Arabia SR % % Alkhaleej Training and Education Co. Saudi Arabia SR -2.7 N/A -7.1 N/A Dubai Insurance Co. Dubai AED % % National Central Cooling Co. Dubai AED % % % Takaful-Emarat Dubai AED % % Abu Dhabi National Hotels Co. Abu Dhabi AED % % Ras Al Khaimah Cement Company Abu Dhabi AED % 5.0 N/A Al Khaleej Investment Abu Dhabi AED % % Gulf Medical Projects Company Abu Dhabi AED % % RAK Ceramics Abu Dhabi AED % % % National International Holding Company Kuwait KD % % United Gulf Holding Company Bahrain USD % % Source: Company data, DFM, ADX, MSM, TASI, BHB. ( # Values in 000) YoY Page 2 of 8

3 Global Economic Data Date Market Source Indicator Period Actual Consensus Previous 08/02 US Department of Labor Initial Jobless Claims 28-July 218k 220k 217k 08/02 US Department of Labor Continuing Claims 21-July 1,724k 1,750k 1,747k 08/03 US US Census Bureau Trade Balance June -$46.3bn -$46.5bn -$43.2bn 08/03 US Bureau of Labor Statistics Unemployment Rate July 3.9% 3.9% 4.0% 08/03 US Markit Markit US Services PMI July /03 US Markit Markit US Composite PMI July /02 EU Eurostat PPI MoM June 0.4% 0.3% 0.8% 08/02 EU Eurostat PPI YoY June 3.6% 3.5% 3.0% 08/03 EU Markit Markit Eurozone Services PMI July /03 EU Markit Markit Eurozone Composite PMI July /03 EU Eurostat Retail Sales MoM June 0.3% 0.4% 0.3% 08/03 EU Eurostat Retail Sales YoY June 1.2% 1.4% 1.6% 08/03 Germany Markit Markit Germany Services PMI July /03 Germany Markit Markit/BME Germany Composite PMI July /03 France Markit Markit France Services PMI July /03 France Markit Markit France Composite PMI July /03 India Markit Nikkei India PMI Services July /03 India Markit Nikkei India PMI Composite July Source: Bloomberg (s.a. = seasonally adjusted; n.s.a. = non-seasonally adjusted; w.d.a. = working day adjusted) Earnings Calendar Tickers Company Name Date of reporting 2Q2018 results No. of days remaining Status GISS Gulf International Services 5-Aug-18 0 Due MPHC Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding Company 6-Aug-18 1 Due MCGS Medicare Group 6-Aug-18 1 Due IGRD Investment Holding Group 6-Aug-18 1 Due MERS Al Meera Consumer Goods Company 7-Aug-18 2 Due QGMD Qatari German Company for Medical Devices 8-Aug-18 3 Due IQCD Industries Qatar 8-Aug-18 3 Due ZHCD Zad Holding Company 9-Aug-18 4 Due MRDS Mazaya Qatar Real Estate Development 13-Aug-18 8 Due Source: QSE Page 3 of 8

4 News Qatar MCCS net profit comes in flat YoY but decreases by ~16% QoQ in 2Q2018 Mannai Corporation s (MCCS) YoY net profit came in flat (but decreased ~16% QoQ) at ~QR76mn in 2Q2018. EPS amounted to QR3.66 in 1H2018 as compared to QR3.65 in 1H2017. In 1H2018, MCCS reported QR167mn net profit on revenue worth QR5.1bn. MCCS EBITDA rose by 56% to QR444mn compared to QR284mn, and pre-tax profit rose by 25% to QR209mn compared to QR167mn in the previous year. In line with the group s strategy of diversifying geographically, MCCS acquired additional 15.39% share in GFI Informatique, France during the first half of 2018 and currently holds 96.6%. MCCS stated that the group is well positioned to participate in the major infrastructure development projects and services sector in the state of Qatar and is optimistic of the future. (QSE, Gulf-Times.com) QCFS net profit declines 19.5% YoY and 18.2% QoQ in 2Q2018 Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution Company s (QCFS) net profit declined 19.5% YoY (-18.2% QoQ) to QR2.22mn in 2Q2018. In 1H2018, QCFS reported net profit of QR4.94mn as compared to QR5.71mn in 1H2017. EPS fell to QR0.79 in 1H2018 from QR0.91 in 1H2017. (QSE) Fitch and Moody s upgrade The Commercial Bank s outlook Global credit rating agencies Fitch and Moody s have upgraded the outlook of The Commercial Bank to Stable and affirmed the long-term issuer default ratings (IDR) at A (Fitch) and A3 (Moody s), reflecting the strength of Qatar s economy and the banking sector. In a statement, The Commercial Bank stated, Qatar has demonstrated strong financial performance despite the diplomatic boycott by three GCC neighbors, with Moody s expecting no change in the capacity of the government to support the country s banks. The Commercial Bank has also maintained strong asset quality, capital and liquidity buffers. The Commercial Bank s CEO, Joseph Abraham said, This news reflects the commitment by Qatar s government to maintain the resilience and stability of Qatar s banking system, with Qatar emerging from the boycott stronger than it was before. The Commercial Bank is closely aligned with the strategic economic objectives of the nation and we are well-positioned to benefit from Qatar s continued economic growth. (Gulf- Times.com) Container traffic rises 30% at Hamad Port in July Hamad Port is continuing to see huge rise in traffic. The QR27bn port witnessed 30% rise in the handling of goods containers in July. The port handled 122,827 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) containers last month, according to Mwani Qatar data. It had handled 94,911 TEUs containers in June. The strong momentum was also seen in vehicle movement. The port, which has a capacity to receive 500,000 vehicles per year, witnessed around 20% rise in the handling of vehicles. A total of 5,643 vehicles were handled last month compared to 4,708 vehicles handled by the port in June. Last month, 133 commercial vessels called at Hamad Port, which is one of the largest multipurpose ports in the region. It handled 61,280 tons of break bulk cargo in July, while 8,005 tons of bulk cargo was handled during the month. (Peninsula Qatar) Rise in Qatar s listed government bond value The value of Qatar s listed government bonds saw a staggering growth of 94.21% to QR12.57bn in 2017, from QR6.4bn in the previous year. Listed T-bills value increased by 32.26% to QR12.75bn from QR9.64bn in 2016, according to the Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA). In its annual report, the market regulatory body noted the value of traded government bonds also increased by 17.05% YoY, from QR3bn to QR3.55bn. The year 2017 saw the share of total equity ownership of Qatari investors, individual and institutional, slipping to 91.09% from 91.47% on YoY. The share of equity ownership percent of foreign investors rose to 8.91% from 8.5%. While foreign individual investors equity ownership rose to 2.19% from 2.10%, institutional investors share increased to 6.72% from 6.43%. (Peninsula Qatar) QCB s Chief lauds QFMA s role in developing Qatari capital market The Governor of the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) lauded the role played by the Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA) in developing the country s financial market amid the blockade imposed by four Arab countries in June last year. QCB s Governor, HE Sheikh Abdulla Bin Saoud Al Thani said, The procedures and decisions issued by QFMA have played an active role not only in strengthening the Qatari capital market under the blockade, but also in delivering more achievements and development of such market as well as making it more resilient against sudden fluctuations or subversive plans that aim to undermine the development of the Qatari financial markets. The QCB s Governor, who is also QFMA s Chairman, stressed that the efforts of the QFMA and financial sector regulators during the second half of 2017 resulted in achieving a record success and addressing the attempts of the unjust blockade imposed on the State to harm the Qatari financial sector. (Gulf-Times.com) Ooredoo s 5G home broadband test results show mega speeds available With over 75 5G-ready Ooredoo network towers now in place around Doha, Ooredoo has announced that it is pushing forward with testing the first-ever live 5G home broadband devices. The first results of rigorous stress tests using the 25 home broadband 5G devices show superfast fiber comparable speeds on the Ooredoo 5G networks, the company stated in a press statement. These tests were conducted in reallife non-laboratory environments across various parts of the city. Ooredoo was the first company in the world to launch a commercial 5G network in May and has since invested heavily in rolling out the next generation technology to ensure Qatar is at the forefront of 5G developments and the 5G ecosystem. (Gulf-Times.com) Qatari stocks have the highest level of foreign investment since 2014 Qatari stocks captured about QR5.4bn in net foreign inflows this year through August 1, the highest for the period in four years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. This was the highest inflow by foreigners since 2014, when Qatar was added to the emerging markets (EM) index compiled by MSCI, leading to billions in inflows by fund managers tracking the gauge. Several large caps, including QNB Group and Industries Qatar, this year increased the foreign ownership limit for Page 4 of 8

5 foreigners to 49%, prompting a higher weighting in EM benchmarks. (Bloomberg) Doha, suburbs witnessing hectic construction activity A number of areas in Doha and beyond are witnessing hectic construction activity as part of various infrastructure projects aimed at improving the lives of people, some Central Municipal Council (CMC) members have stressed. The Council s members said these projects included roads, lighting works, commercial complexes and outlets, water and sewage networks, and healthcare centers. A considerable number of such projects have been accomplished over the last six months while others are being implemented, they point out, adding that more projects are expected to be launched soon for further development in various areas. They praised the efforts of the entities involved in such initiatives, such as the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, Public Works Authority (Ashghal), Ministry of Public Health and others, as a good number of these projects were being accomplished in record time. (Gulf-Times.com) International US June trade deficit posts biggest rise in 1-1/2 years The US trade deficit recorded its biggest increase in more than 1-1/2 years in June as the boost to exports from soybean shipments faded and higher oil prices lifted the import bill. The Commerce Department stated the trade gap increased 7.3% to $46.3bn. The rise in percentage terms was the biggest since November Data for May was revised slightly to show the trade deficit falling to $43.2bn, instead of the previously reported $43.1bn. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the trade deficit widening to $46.5bn in June. The trade gap narrowed in April and May as farmers front-loaded soybean exports to China before China s retaliatory tariffs came into effect in early July. (Reuters) US job growth slows in July, unemployment rate drops US job growth slowed more than expected in July as employment in the transportation and utilities sectors fell, but a drop in the unemployment rate suggested that labor market conditions continued to tighten. With manufacturing payrolls increasing by the most in seven months, the moderation in hiring reported by the Labor Department likely does not reflect the rising trade tensions between the US and other nations including China. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 157,000 jobs last month, still more than the roughly 120,000 jobs per month needed to keep up with growth in the working-age population. The economy created 59,000 more jobs in May and June than previously reported. (Reuters) Bank of England raises rates above crisis lows, signals no rush for next hike The Bank of England (BoE) pushed interest rates above their financial crisis lows, but signaled it was in no hurry to raise them further as Britain heads for Brexit next year with no clear plan for leaving the European Union. The BoE s nine rate-setters unexpectedly voted unanimously to raise rates to 0.75% from 0.50%, the level at which they have spent most of the past decade, apart from a period after the 2016 Brexit vote when they were cut even lower. (Reuters) QNB Group: Bank of Japan may continue its ultra-radical monetary policy Japan may have been usurped by China as the world s second largest economy some years ago, but it remains of critical importance to global economy, QNB Group stated in its latest report. For starters, it still accounts for a substantial 4.5% of global GDP at purchasing power parity as per the International Monetary Fund estimates. Second, Japan s financial markets play a major role in the global economy as the Japanese Yen (JPY), a key reserve currency. Japan s government bonds (JGBs) market is also the largest global sovereign bond market ensuring that JGB yields operate as a key anchor for global interest rates. Lastly, Japan has long been the vanguard of global monetary policy developments. The Bank of Japan (BoJ) has been battling deflation for over two decades and was the first major central bank to hit the zero bound (policy rates dropping to zero) and also the first to adopt quantitative easing (QE): the large scale purchase of government securities, QNB Group stated. (Gulf-Times.com) Japan s steelmakers shrug off US tariffs in earnings but warn on automobile duties Japanese steelmakers reported little fallout in their first-quarter earnings from the US import tariffs on steel, but they all voiced growing concerns over possible US duties on automobiles which could hurt a wide range of Japan s industries. US President Donald Trump ordered a national security probe into imports of automobiles in May. Similar national security investigations were the precursor to the imposition of import tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum in March. (Reuters) Japan s July services PMI slows slightly in sign of subdued activity Activity in Japan s services sector cooled slightly in July from the previous month as new orders grew at a slower pace, a private survey showed, suggesting the economy may have lost some momentum at the start of the third quarter. The Markit/Nikkei Japan Services Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) fell to 51.3 on a seasonally adjusted basis from 51.4 in June, though it has remained above the 50 threshold that separates expansion from contraction for the 22nd consecutive month. (Reuters) China plans tariffs on $60bn of US goods in latest trade salvo China proposed retaliatory tariffs on $60bn worth of US goods ranging from liquefied natural gas (LNG) to some aircraft, as a senior Chinese diplomat cast doubt on prospects of talks with US to solve their trade conflict. The Trump administration tightened pressure for trade concessions from China this week by proposing a higher 25% tariff on $200bn worth of Chinese imports. China vowed to retaliate while also urging US to act rationally and return to talks to resolve the dispute. The US and China implemented tariffs on $34bn worth of each others goods in July. The US is expected to soon implement tariffs on an additional $16bn of Chinese goods, which China has already announced it will match immediately. (Reuters) China rejects US request to cut Iran oil imports The US has been unable to persuade China to cut Iranian oil imports, according to sources, dealing a blow to President Donald Trump s efforts to isolate the Islamic Republic after his withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord. China has, however, agreed not to ramp up purchases of Iranian crude, according to sources. That would ease concerns that China would work to undermine US efforts to isolate the Islamic Republic by purchasing excess oil. (Bloomberg) Page 5 of 8

6 China s July services new business growth weakest since December 2015 China s services sector expanded at the weakest pace in four months in July, as there was the least growth in new business since December 2015, a private survey showed. Forward-looking sentiment meanwhile was the second-weakest on record, with respondents blaming concerns surrounding company restructuring and the impact of the US- China trade war. For July, the Caixin/Markit services purchasing managers index (PMI) fell to 52.8, the lowest since March, from June s The 50-mark separates growth from contraction. The findings were largely in line with those of an official gauge of the non-manufacturing sector released, which showed the services PMI falling in July. (Reuters) Regional Investment activity in MENA region sustains growth in 1H2018 MENA region s startup ecosystem continued growth with a record number of transactions in 1H2018, despite a drop in disclosed startup funding, MAGNiTT stated in its Venture Investment report. According to the report, 141 investments were made in 1H2018, which marks a 12% increase on the number of deals for 1H2017. Total disclosed funding is down 43% to $112mn as compared to the same period in 2017 when stripping out Careem s $150mn investment in 1H2017. (GulfBase.com) GCC countries to break dependence on hydrocarbons by 2050 GCC countries will finally achieve the goal of diversifying their economies away from oil over the next three decades, according to a report from Fitch Solutions (Fitch). Fitch also predicted growing Chinese and Asian economic and military influence in the region with India also expected to play a bigger role. Additionally, the report flagged up the regional dangers of high youth unemployment and burgeoning populations that would ramp up the number of people struggling to find work and possibly lead to more popular upheavals of the type seen in countries such as Egypt and Tunisia in 2011, but the outlook for the GCC was more upbeat. The report stated that there would be progress at last, as the GCC nations made tangible strides toward economic diversification. (GulfBase.com) Quest for size has Gulf banks rushing to seal takeover deals After a long pause, deals between Gulf banks are kicking up a gear. Lenders across the region are undergoing their biggest shake up since 2007, with almost a dozen of them involved in takeovers or mergers over the past two years. The companies are bulking up to cope with declining government revenues following a drop in oil prices that squeezed deposits. They re also combining operations in a market seen as overbanked for the population size. Sergey Dergachev at Union Investment Privatfonds GmbH in Frankfurt said, We will see more bank consolidation in the GCC, with most activity likely in the UAE. Compared to Saudi Arabia, the population in the UAE is excessively banked with a few large banks and lots of smaller ones. (Gulf-Times.com) Al Rajhi Capital expects Saudi Arabia s oil revenues to reach SR547.5bn in 2018 Al Rajhi Capital expects Saudi Arabia s oil revenues in 2Q2018 to reach SR134bn, while for the full year it is expected to touch SR547.5bn, which is 11.3% higher than the budget target of SR492bn. This is likely to lower deficit by 28% in 2018, according to the report. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had raised Saudi Arabia s 2018 growth forecast to 1.9% as against 1.7% projected earlier on account of higher oil output amid firm crude oil prices and structural reforms. The fiscal deficit will shrink from 9.3% of GDP in 2017 to 4.6% and 1.7% in 2018 and 2019, respectively, according to Al Rajhi Capital. (GulfBase.com) Tadawul announces the listing of Swicorp Wabel REIT Fund The Saudi Stock Exchange Company (Tadawul) announced the listing and trading units of Swicorp Wabel REIT Fund beginning August 6, 2018, with the symbol 4345 in the Real Estate Investment Traded Funds (REITs) sector, with a 10% daily price fluctuation limit per unit. (Tadawul) Saudi Arabia reduced oil production in July Saudi Arabia, which recently pledged oil-supply increases to tame rallying crude prices, cut production in July, according to The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Saudi Arabia pumped 10.3mn bpd in July. The Kingdom told the group it produced mn bpd in June. The cutback comes despite promises from Saudi Arabia s Energy Minister, Khalid Al-Falih that key OPEC members and their allies would add about 1mn barrels of supply, doing whatever is necessary to keep the market in balance. (Gulf-Times.com) Saudi Arabia resumes oil exports through Red Sea lane Saudi Arabia stated that it resumed all oil shipments through the strategic Red Sea shipping lane of Bab Al-Mandeb. Saudi Arabia had halted temporarily oil shipments through the lane on July 25, after attacks on two oil tankers by Yemen s Houthi movement. (Gulf-Times.com) Affordable housing to boost Riyadh s property market Although market conditions in Saudi Arabia s capital Riyadh remain relatively unchanged in 2Q2018, the government s continued focus on providing affordable housing to its nationals will in turn boost the city s overall real estate sector, according to a JLL s report. In line with the National Transformation Program 2020, Ministry of Housing is aiming to increase home ownership for nationals from 47% to 52% through boosting affordable residential supply, stated JLL in its report. A continued focus on this sector of the market was evident this quarter with the ministry announcing eight new public-private partnership (PPP) agreements and the distribution of 105,174 affordable residential products during the year to May, it added. (GulfBase.com) Sharjah s property market on solid growth track The Sharjah s property market is marching ahead amid strong demand. Sharjah Holding, a strategic partnership between Majid Al Futtaim-Properties and Sharjah Asset Management, have announced the sale of its 1,000th home at Al Zahia, Sharjah s premier lifestyle destination, marking a key milestone for the community as it approaches its halfway sales point. Al Zahia will feature 2,270 homes upon its completion in Coinciding with this occasion, Al Zahia is offering, for a limited time, a summer sales promotion on apartments, villas and townhouses. (GulfBase.com) Major pact signed to support SMEs in Oman Bank Nizwa teamed up with Zubair Small Enterprises Centre (Zubair SEC), a social impact initiative by the Zubair Corporation, to support the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Oman, in a move reflecting its strong dedication to become the financing Page 6 of 8

7 platform of choice for entrepreneurs. With the aim of facilitating trade and economic growth in the Sultanate, both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under which Bank Nizwa agreed to offer its portfolio of commercial banking services to Zubair SEC s database of entrepreneurs, giving them the tools required to succeed and grow in a sustainable manner. The joint cooperation is expected to ramp up the SME base in Oman, creating employment opportunities for young Omanis, contributing to the GDP, and creating funding opportunities. (GulfBase.com) Duqm Port offers 100 hectares of land for logistics Port of Duqm is opening up 100 hectares of new real estate for investment. It follows the successful uptake of almost all of the 65 hectares of land offered by the port authority under the first stage of a multiphase plan to create industrial and logistics clusters in areas that fall under the port s jurisdiction. Duqm Industrial Land Company (DILC) is a special purpose vehicle set up by the port company to develop and market an estimated 5,000 hectares of land allocated for medium and heavy industries, as well as logistics investment, in the vicinity of the port. (GulfBase.com) Bahrain central bank s net foreign assets rebound in June Net foreign assets at Bahrain s central bank, an indication of its ability to defend its currency against market pressure, rebounded in June, the central bank stated. The assets rose to BHD820.6mn in June from BHD671.1mn in May. However, net foreign assets at Bahraini retail banks fell in June, to minus BHD1.26bn from minus BHD1.20bn, meaning their liabilities exceeded assets. Foreign assets have been under pressure as Bahrain runs fiscal and current account deficits fuelled by low oil prices. (Reuters) NBK Bahrain profit hits BHD55mn in 1H2018 National Bank of Kuwait-Bahrain (NBK Bahrain), the branch of NBK Group in Bahrain, reported net profit of BHD55mn for 1H2018 compared with BHD46.1mn in 1H2017, a growth of 19.4%. NBK-Bahrain s total assets increased by 13% YoY to BHD6.048bn, compared with BHD5.359bn for the same period of previous year, while total shareholders equity increased by 18% YoY to BHD mn compared with BHD mn for the same period of previous year. Customer deposits increased by 24% YoY to BHD3.244bn, compared with BHD2.611bn for the same period of previous year. (GulfBase.com) Page 7 of 8

8 Rebased Performance Daily Index Performance % 0.0% (0.4%) (0.8%) (0.4%) 0.0% 0.1% (0.3%) (0.3%) (0.7%) (0.2%) 50.0 Jul-14 Jul-15 Jul-16 Jul-17 Jul-18 QSE Index S&P Pan Arab S&P GCC Saudi Arabia Qatar Kuwait Bahrain Oman Abu Dhabi Dubai Source: Bloomberg Source: Bloomberg Asset/Currency Performance Close ($) 1D% WTD% YTD% Global Indices Performance Close 1D%* WTD%* YTD%* Gold/Ounce 1, (0.8) (6.9) MSCI World Index 2, (0.0) 2.5 Silver/Ounce (0.5) (9.0) DJ Industrial 25, Crude Oil (Brent)/Barrel (FM Future) (0.3) (1.5) 9.5 S&P 500 2, Crude Oil (WTI)/Barrel (FM Future) (0.7) (0.3) 13.4 NASDAQ 100 7, Natural Gas (Henry Hub)/MMBtu (7.4) STOXX (1.3) (3.6) LPG Propane (Arab Gulf)/Ton (2.1) (2.6) DAX 12, (2.4) (5.8) LPG Butane (Arab Gulf)/Ton (2.9) (3.8) (5.3) FTSE 100 7, (1.3) (4.1) Euro 1.16 (0.1) (0.8) (3.6) CAC 40 5, (1.1) (0.5) Yen (0.4) 0.2 (1.3) Nikkei 22, (1.2) 0.1 GBP 1.30 (0.1) (0.8) (3.8) MSCI EM 1, (1.7) (7.3) CHF (2.0) SHANGHAI SE Composite 2, (1.1) (5.1) (21.3) AUD (5.2) HANG SENG 27, (0.1) (3.9) (7.9) USD Index (0.0) BSE SENSEX 37, RUB (0.1) Bovespa 81, (4.9) BRL (10.6) RTS 1, (0.6) (0.8) Source: Bloomberg Source: Bloomberg (*$ adjusted returns) Contacts Saugata Sarkar, CFA, CAIA Shahan Keushgerian Zaid al-nafoosi, CMT, CFTe Head of Research Senior Research Analyst Senior Research Analyst Tel: (+974) Tel: (+974) Tel: (+974) QNB Financial Services Co. W.L.L. Contact Center: (+974) PO Box Doha, Qatar Disclaimer and Copyright Notice: This publication has been prepared by QNB Financial Services Co. W.L.L. ( QNBFS ) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qatar National Bank (Q.P.S.C.). QNBFS is regulated by the Qatar Financial Markets Authority and the Qatar Exchange. Qatar National Bank (Q.P.S.C.) is regulated by the Qatar Central Bank. This publication expresses the views and opinions of QNBFS at a given time only. It is not an offer, promotion or recommendation to buy or sell securities or other investments, nor is it intended to constitute legal, tax, accounting, or financial advice. QNBFS accepts no liability whatsoever for any direct or indirect losses arising from use of this report. Any investment decision should depend on the individual circumstances of the investor and be based on specifically engaged investment advice. We therefore strongly advise potential investors to seek independent professional advice before making any investment decision. Although the information in this report has been obtained from sources that QNBFS believes to be reliable, we have not independently verified such information and it may not be accurate or complete. QNBFS does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy and completeness of the information it may contain, and declines any liability in that respect. For reports dealing with Technical Analysis, expressed opinions and/or recommendations may be different or contrary to the opinions/recommendations of QNBFS Fundamental Research as a result of depending solely on the historical technical data (price and volume). QNBFS reserves the right to amend the views and opinions expressed in this publication at any time. It may also express viewpoints or make investment decisions that differ significantly from, or even contradict, the views and opinions included in this report. This report may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from QNBFS. COPYRIGHT: No part of this document may be reproduced without the explicit written permission of QNBFS. Page 8 of 8