Qatar foreign investment expands on both fronts

Qatar's foreign investment saw a 3.3% increase in the first quarter of 2026, reaching QAR172.2 billion, while outward investments climbed by 3.5% to QAR221.7 billion, signaling expanded cross-border capital activity, according to the National Planning Council. The inward FDI figure marked a rise from QAR165.4 billion at the end of 2025, while outward FDI had been at QAR210 billion at the end of the previous year.

The National Planning Council survey revealed that foreign investment entering Qatar remains heavily concentrated in energy and financial services, with mining and quarrying accounting for 45.3% of inward FDI, followed by financial and insurance activities at 31.9%. Manufacturing was the third-largest recipient, with 13% of inward investment, while information and communication activities and professional, scientific, and technical activities contributed 2.8% and 2%, respectively.

Together, the five sectors accounted for over 90% of the country's inward FDI position. Qatar's outward investment portfolio was also broadly distributed, with financial services and energy remaining dominant, accounting for 33.5% and 29.8% of overseas investment, respectively. Information and communication businesses made up 10.8% of overseas investment, while accommodation and food services and transport and storage represented 9.1% and 7%, respectively.

These five sectors together made up more than 90% of Qatar's outward direct investment. The rise in QAR221.7 billion for QAR221.7 billion overseas indicates that Qatar holds a larger direct-investment position abroad than foreign investors hold within the country, with a gap of approximately QAR49.5 billion. The investment strategy is increasingly focused on securing capital that supports diversification objectives, even though mining and quarrying still account for nearly half of inward FDI, reflecting the country's strong connection to its hydrocarbons sector.