Foreign investors will be able to hold up to 49 per cent of stock exchange-listed shares in four subsidiaries of Qatar Petroleum (QP) after limits on foreign ownership were lifted, the state-owned energy company said.

In a statement, QP said shareholder ownership limits in the companies would also be raised, to 1 per cent for Qatar Electricity and Water Company and Qatar Fuel (Woqod), and to 2 per cent for Gulf International Services Company and Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding Company.

The four firms will take the steps needed to approve the increase in the foreign ownership limit to 49 per cent within the coming weeks, the QP statement said.

In March, another majority QP-owned subsidiary Industries Qatar increased its foreign ownership limit to 49 per cent from 25 per cent.