Qatar Exchange is considering selling shares in an initial public offering and held talks with its main shareholder Qatar Holding about a potential sale, according to chief executive officer Rashid Al Mansoori.
“The discussion is there yes, but there is no timeline,” Mr Al Mansoori said in an interview on the sidelines of a conference in Dubai on Wednesday. “It is something for the shareholders when they decide, but yes it has been discussed.”
Qatar, owner of the world’s third-largest gas reserves, is seeking to expand its US$183 billion stock exchange after MSCI upgraded it to emerging-market status in June 2013. Shares on the exchange’s main index jumped 18 per cent last year and traded down 1 per cent at 12,148.42 early Wednesday morning.
“The exchange itself is encouraging everybody to go for IPO so it’s an example,” Mr Al Mansoori said. “If you go out and preach to come and list then I think the exchange itself should consider listing itself.”
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