Qatar plans to issue up to $4 billion in Islamic bonds, or sukuk, through two companies that the Gulf state will set up through a decree issued by the Crown Prince, local daily Al Watan newspaper said on Monday.

Qatar, the world's biggest liquefied natural gas exporter, had picked Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Barwa Bank and QInvest to help arrange a new sovereign sukuk, sources told Reuters in May.

Qatar last tapped global debt markets with a $5 billion conventional multi-tranche bond in November, capitalising on investor appetite for safe havens amid market uncertainty. - Reuters