Trading economics-

Qatar Financial Centre PMI fell slightly to 50.6 in March 2024, from 51 in February. Qatari firms witnessed increasing demand for goods & services, with output and new orders continuing to rise. Total activity growth in Q1 2024 is seen as broadly comparable to Q4 2023. An optimistic outlook for the next 12 months is also present. Furthermore, purchases for input rose slightly for the first time in 3 months as firms continues depleting current inventory. As for employment, workforce continued expanding, extending the growth trend to over a year. On the prices front, average input prices, wages & purchase cost remains stable in March. On the other hand, output price increased for the first time in five months at the fastest rate since February 2023, suggesting improved profitability for Qatari firms in Q1 2024.