Qatar central bank sells 1.4 billion riyals of T-bills

DUBAI / Reuters

Qatar’s central bank said on Thursday it had sold 1.4 billion riyals ($385 million) of Treasury bills at a monthly auction this week,
with yields rising from December’s auction.
It sold 750 million riyals of three-month bills at a yield of 1.84 percent, 500 million riyals of six-month at 2.06 percent and 150 million riyals of nine-month at 2.19 percent.
In early December the central bank sold 670 million riyals of bills: 180 million riyals of three-month at 1.67 percent, 190 million riyals of six-month at 1.88 percent, and 300 million riyals of nine-month at 2.10 percent.
In mid-December, the central bank raised policy rates by 25 basis points after a similar hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

QIIB to open Moroccan bank
Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB), the Gulf state’s third-largest listed Islamic bank by assets, said it had received approval to open a bank in Morocco with local lender Credit Immobilier et Hotelier (CIH).
QIIB said in a bourse statement that it was working with CIH Bank to meet requirements and obtain necessary regulatory approvals in Qatar and Morocco.
Morocco’s central bank approved five requests to open Islamic banks in the country, including a CIH Bank proposal, on Jan. 3.