Telecom, transport and banking counters witnessed higher than average demand, which led the 20-stock Qatar Index gain 0.32% to 10,663.49 points as global oil prices had settled high last week.
Large and microcap equities witnessed brisk buying in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 2.17%.
The Gulf institutions turned bullish and there was also increased buying support from both non-Qatari and Gulf individual investors in the bourse, where Islamic stocks however underperformed the main index as well as other indices.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the bourse, where realty, telecom and banking sectors together accounted for about 71% of the total volumes.
Market capitalisation expanded about QR3bn or 0.48% to QR571.7bn as large, micro and small cap equities gained 0.48%, 0.43% and 0.26% respectively, while midcaps declined 0.32%.
The Total Return Index gained 0.32% to 17,309.91 points, All Share Index by 0.32% to 2,933.02 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index by 0.06% to 4,023.36 points.
The telecom sector saw its index appreciate 2.18%, transport (0.93%), banks and financial services (0.34%), industrials (0.19%) and insurance (0.11%), whereas real estate fell 0.16%. The index of consumer goods was largely flat.
About 62% of the stocks extended gains with major movers being Ooredoo, Milaha, QNB, Industries Qatar, Gulf International Services, Qatar Islamic Bank, Doha Bank, Mazaya Qatar, Barwa, Qatar Insurance, Gulf Warehousing, Salam International Investment, Medicare Group and Widam Food.
Nevertheless, Commercial Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Vodafone Qatar, Woqod, Qatari Investors Group, Qatar Electricity and Water, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, United Development Company and Qatar First Bank saw their stocks lose sheen.
Domestic institutions’ net buying strengthened substantially to QR12.79mn compared to QR1.3mn the previous trading day.
The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR3.95mn against net sellers of QR12.59mn on February 9.
Non-Qatari individual investors’ net buying increased perceptibly to QR3.15mn compared to QR2.47mn last Thursday.
The GCC retail investors’ net buying also rose to QR1.23mn against QR0.03mn the previous trading day.
However, non-Qatari institutions turned net sellers to the extent of QR8.3mn compared with net buyers of QR13.82mn on February 9.
Local retail investors’ net profit booking increased considerably to QR12.85mn against QR5mn last Thursday.
Total trade volume fell 30% to 5.78mn shares, value by 28% to QR186.43mn and deals by 28% to 2,750.
There was 50% plunge in the transport sector’s trade volume to 0.1mn equities, 10% in value to QR6.71mn and 38% in transactions to 82.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume plummeted 38% to 0.97mn stocks, value by 41% to QR44.48mn and deals by 44% to 662.
The industrials sector reported 36% shrinkage in trade volume to 0.74mn shares, 30% in value to QR27.97mn and 22% in transactions to 587.
The insurance sector’s trade volume tanked 35% to 0.33mn equities and value by 41% to QR19.55mn, while deals rose 18% to 290.
The market witnessed 30% decline in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 1.37mn stocks, 34% in value to QR14.85mn and 19% in transactions to 221.
The real estate sector’s trade volume shrank 26% to 1.75mn shares, value by 30% to QR41.09mn and deals by 27% to 582.
However, the consumer goods sector saw 6% expansion in trade volume to 0.52mm equities and 34% in value to QR31.76n but on 25% slump in transactions to 326.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and government bonds.
