QSE market capitalisation yesterday rose 1.78% to QR716.45bn.
By Santhosh V Perumal/Business Reporter
Foreign institutions’ stronger buying interests yesterday propelled the Qatar Stock Exchange with its key index once again crossing the 12,300 level and capitalisation adding about QR13bn.
An above-average buying pressure was witnessed especially at the transport, industrials and real estate counters, leading to the 20-stock Qatar Index (based on price data) gain 1.46% to 12,321.89 points, amid lower volumes.
However, Qatari retail investors resorted to profit-booking in the bourse, which is up 18.71% year-to-date.
Trading volumes was skewed mainly towards consumer goods, realty, banking and industrials equities.
The 20-stock Total Return Index gained 1.46% to 18,374.59 points, the All Share Index (with wider constituents) by 1.57% to 3,190.48 and the Al Rayan Islamic Index by 1.5% to 3,965.16 points.
All the three indices factored in dividend income as well.
Transport stocks appreciated 2.66%, followed by industrials (2.48%), realty (1.51%), banks and financial services (1.33%), insurance (0.91%), consumer goods (0.3%) and telecom (0.15%).
About 74% of the stocks returned gains with major movers being QNB, Industries Qatar, Ezdan, Barwa, United Development Company, Vodafone Qatar, Aamal Company, Doha Bank, Commercial Bank, al khaliji, Gulf International Services, Nakilat, Milaha, Widam Food, Qatari Investors Group and Salam International Investment.
However, Qatar Islamic Bank, International Islamic, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding and Mazaya Qatar bucked the trend.
Market capitalisation was up 1.78% to QR716.45bn. Small, micro, large and mid-cap equities rose 3.74%, 1.49%, 1.3% and 1.11% respectively.
Foreign institutions’ net buying surged to QR44.86mn against QR17.13mn on Monday.
Domestic institutions’ net profit-booking sunk to QR0.76mn compared to QR62.06mn the previous day.
Qatari retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR27.11mn against net buyers of QR32.11mn on Monday.
Non-Qatari individual investors also turned net profit-takers to the extent of QR16.91mn compared with net buyers of QR12.82mn the previous day.
Total trading volume fell 36% to 26.05mn stocks, value by 21% to QR944.48mn and transactions by 18% to 12,101.
The insurance sector’s trading volume plummeted 72% to 0.19mn equities; value by 72% to QR9.44mn and deals by 58% to 188.
The consumer goods sector saw its trading volume plunge 66% to 4.21mn shares, value by 43% to QR130.23mn and transactions by 38% to 1,435.
The banks and financial services sector reported a 45% shrinkage in trading volume to 4.55mn stocks, 35% in value to QR222.12mn and 27% in deals to 2,493.
The real estate sector’s trading volume tanked 30% to 8.27mn equities, value by 30% to QR211.06mn and transactions by 32% to 2,541.
The transport sector’s trading volume was down 5% to 2.11mn shares, value by 3% to QR61.56mn and deals by 4% to 947.
However, the telecom sector saw its trading volume surge 81% to 1.74mn stocks, value by 47% to QR38.08mn and transactions by 27% to 363.
The market witnessed a 9% gain in the industrials sector’s trading volume to 4.97mn equities, 32% in value to QR271.99mn and 18% in deals to 4,134.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and government bonds.
