S&P Global Ratings affirmed Qatar’s sovereign credit rating at AA/A-1+ with a stable outlook on Friday, saying the country’s large stock of liquid assets should soften the impact of the regional conflict and supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.
The agency attributed its view to the substantial fiscal and external assets Qatar has accumulated, which it said would allow the country to withstand disruption to trade flows and security linked to the conflict in the Middle East, Kuwaiti newspaper Al Jarida reported.
S&P estimates Qatar’s net general government assets at about 135% of gross domestic product in 2026, according to CNBC Arabia. The liquid assets include balances held at a fiscal stability fund, the Qatar Investment Authority and Qatar Central Bank.
Those buffers give the government room to fund its needs, contain pressure on the budget and the external accounts, and support an economic recovery if the disruption continues, CNBC Arabia reported, citing the agency.
S&P also pointed to risks. They include Qatar’s heavy reliance on liquefied natural gas exports, damage to some production facilities at Ras Laffan Industrial City, and the disruption of shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, the route for more than 90% of the country’s exports.
The decision follows a similar move by Fitch Ratings, which affirmed Qatar at AA in early September and removed the rating from its negative watch list.
