The oil-exporting countries of the Persian Gulf, from Qatar to Saudi Arabia, are turning to the public to sell debt as shrinking oil revenues erode their budgets. Qatar, which owns some of the world’s largest gas reserves, this week plans to sell about $9 billion worth of bonds in multiyear tranches, the latest Gulf state to tap the international capital markets for fresh funds in an attempt to shore up government finances crippled by low energy prices. Qatar’s return to the markets follows the example of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain which earlier this year sold around $6 billion worth of bonds. Saudi Arabia is also preparing to tap the international bond markets later this year, banking sources have said. It already secured a $10 billion bank loan with the help of international […]