Selling pressure was more within industrials and transport counters that the 20-stock Qatar Index lost four points or 0.04%, after a five-week bull run, to settle at 10,912.76 points.
The Gulf institutions turned net sellers and there was increased profit booking by their domestic counterparts in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 4.56%.
Islamic stocks were seen underperforming the main index in the bourse, where non-Qatari individual investors however turned bullish and there was also increased buying support from non-Qatar institutions.
Trade turnover expanded amid fall in volumes in the market, where real estate, banking, telecom and insurance sectors together accounted for more than three-fourth of the total volumes.
Market capitalisation rose QR21mn or 0.04% to QR585.91bn as small and mid-caps gained 1.19% and 0.16%, while micro and large caps fell 0.11% and 0.06% respectively.
The Total Return Index fell 0.04% to 17,714.54 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index by 0.05% to 4,118.25 points, whereas All Share Index was up 0.07% to 2,998.94 points.
The industrials sector saw its index shrink 0.43%, transport (0.22%) and banks and financial services (0.05%); while consumer goods gained 0.95%, realty (0.68%), telecom (0.29%) and insurance (0.21%).
Major losers included Industries Qatar, Aamal Company, Milaha, Barwa, Qatar Islamic Bank, QIIB, Masraf Al Rayan, Dlala, United Development Company, Widam Food and Qatari German Company for Medical Devices.
Nevertheless, more than 55% of the stocks extended gains with major movers being QNB, Commercial Bank, Ooredoo, Ezdan, Mazaya Qatar, Vodafone Qatar, Nakilat, Qatar Electricity and Water, Qatari Investors Group, Gulf International Services, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Alijarah Holding and Medicare Group.
Domestic institutions’ net selling strengthened considerably to QR66.07mn compared to QR33.17mn the previous day.
The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) funds were net sellers to the tune of QR7.52mn against net buyers of QR33.45mn on February 19.
However, non-Qatari individual investors turned net buyers to the extent of QR32.86mn compared with net sellers of QR0.14mn on Sunday.
Non-Qatari institutions’ net buying increased substantially to QR39.4mn against QR17.5mn the previous day.
The GCC retail investors were also net buyers to the tune of QR1.45mn compared with net sellers of QR1.33mn on February 19.
Local retail investors’ net profit booking declined perceptibly to QR0.08mn against QR16.31mn on Sunday.
Total trade volume fell 23% to 9.12mn shares, while value rose 12% to QR391.66mn and deals by 4% to 4,526.
There was 51% plunge in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 1.36mn equities, 46% in value to QR17.17mn and 42% in transactions to 249.
The real estate sector’s trade volume plummeted 46% to 2.42mn stocks, value by 53% to QR51.07mn and deals by 36% to 710.
The industrials sector reported 14% shrinkage in trade volume to 1.02mn shares but on 52% expansion in value to QR64.06mn and 33% in transactions to 1,075.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 11% to 1.97mn equities, while value gained 47% to QR139.46mn and deals by 27% to 1,402.
However, the insurance sector’s trade volume more than quadrupled to 1.13mn stocks and value more than tripled to QR51.68mn on 21% jump in transactions to 149.
The consumer goods sector saw 59% surge in trade volume to 0.92mm shares, 16% in value to QR52.6mn and 16% in deals to 718.
The transport sector’s trade volume was up 4% to 0.29mn equities, value by 41% to QR15.62mn and transactions by 51% to 223.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and government bonds.
