Companies in Doha stock market not affected by Asian crisis

The Doha stock market has grown this year, and the prices of shares of all companies registered in the market have risen, despite the international financial crisis and the recession in the local economy due to the decrease in petroleum prices.

An official in the Doha stock market, speaking on condition of anonymity said that the capital value of the familiar companies reached to about $4 billion, up from $3.79 billion on the first anniversary of the market's establishment on May 24, 1997, and from $1.64 billion valuation at the market's inauguration.

The official pointed out that the reason behind the doubling of the capital value since the inauguration is increasing demand and rising prices of all registered companies' shares due to increasing profits.

The official added that the performance of these companies was not affected either by the decrease in petroleum prices during the current year or by the Asian economic crisis, but the market has continued its increase and expected to remain like that into the end of the year.