Qatar stocks to begin 2018 at near cheapest level in 8 years

After being battered by political turmoil this year, Qatari shares are set to start the next one near their cheapest levels relative to emerging-market peers since early 2010.

That’s a change for the nation’s stocks, which traded at a premium for most of the preceding three years.

A selloff triggered by a political spat between Qatar and its neighbours sent valuations plummeting. While politics will remain in focus in 2018, analysts and investors say some shares in Doha are now trading at attractive levels.

The QE Index became the world’s worst performer this year after a Saudi Arabia-led group of nations accused the gas-rich state of supporting terrorism and destabilising the region — charges the country has denied.

While the gauge has trimmed losses the past two weeks on optimism 2018’s budget will support the nation’s economic growth, it’s still down 17% in 2017, the second-biggest loss among major indexes globally.