Doha: Business activity in Qatar's financial services sector witnessed significant growth in November, with purchase stocks reaching unprecedented levels. The seasonally adjusted Financial Services Business Activity Index remained robust at 53.7, reflecting a continued rise in total activity, although it experienced a slight decline from October's 56.7. According to Qatar News Agency, the demand for Qatari financial services notably increased, leading to a marked rise in employment within the sector. Companies in the financial services industry displayed strong optimism regarding the 12-month outlook, even though sentiment was slightly below the long-term trend observed since 2017. In a strategic move to enhance competitiveness, financial services companies reduced their prices for the fourth consecutive month, marking the fastest rate of decrease on record. Conversely, average input prices saw a slower growth rate, the slowest in three months. Yousuf Mohamed Al Jaida, Chief Executive Officer of QFC Author ity, highlighted the positive trends, stating, "The headline PMI edged up to 52.9 in November, surpassing the third quarter average of 52.0 and the long-run trend level of 52.3, indicating stronger business conditions in the non-energy sector. New business and output expanded further, while the labour market remained robust." He further noted the significant demand for workers and efforts to retain experienced staff, as reflected in the survey data for wages, with the Staff Costs Index remaining higher than any time prior to August. Despite overall cost pressures remaining high, the Input Prices Index showed a notable retreat from October's four-year high, and prices charged for goods and services fell as firms continued discounting to boost competitiveness. The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) surveys, favored by central banks, financial markets, and business decision-makers worldwide, provide crucial monthly insights into economic trends. The Qatar Financial Centre PMI, compiled by S and P Global, is based on responses from purchasing managers in approximately 450 private sector companies across manufacturing, construction, wholesale, retail, and services sectors, stratified by sector and company size based on GDP contributions.