Standard & Poor's affirms Qatar's AA rating with stable outlook

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - Standard & Poor's (S&P) announced Friday that it affirmed Qatar's AA long-term credit rating with a stable outlook.

The stable outlook reflects Qatar's fiscal and external buffers that would continue to benefit from the country's position as one of the world's largest exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) over the next two years.

"We expect Qatar to remain one of the largest exporters of LNG globally," it said in a statement.

The agency, however, warned that it could lower the ratings if Qatar would experience a significant external shock, due to an unanticipated disruption to key export routes as a result of regional geopolitical developments.

Ratings, on the other hand, could be raised if risks related to Qatar's external position are reduced, including a decline in the country's external financing needs, according to S&P.