Foreign institutions continued to be increasingly net buyers in an otherwise bearish Qatar Stock Exchange, which settled at more than 8,100 points.
Non-Qatari individuals were seen net buyers amidst 1.03% decline in 20-stock Qatar Index to 8,144.11 points.
Islamic equities saw faster declines in the bourse, whose year-to-date losses were at 21.97%.
Local retail investors’ profit booking pressure weakened in the market, whose capitalisation eroded 1.25% to QR443.81bn.
Barring initial small gains, the market was largely on a weak wicket with it touching a low of near 8,100 points within the first 120 minutes but buying interests ensued thereafter. However, the initial declines were overpowering that the index settled 85 points lower.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the bourse, where banking, industrials and real estate sectors together accounted for about 84% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index shed 1.03% to 13,657.19 points, Al Rayan Islamic Index by 1.45% to 3,228.36 points and All Share Index by 1.32% to 2,282.05 points.
The insurance index tanked 3.86%, industrials (1.46%), realty (1.385), banks and financial services (1.07%), consumer goods (0.93%, telecom (0.88%) and transport (0.65%).
Non-Qatari institutions’ net buying strengthened marginally to QR24.14mn compared to QR22.2mn the previous day.
The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) retail investors were net buyers to the tune of QR0.39mn against net sellers of QR0.48mn on Tuesday.
Non-Qatari individual investors also turned net buyers to the extent of QR0.11mn compared with net sellers of QR1.62mn on October 17.
Local retail investors’ net profit booking declined considerably to QR2.38mn against QR10.07mn the previous day.
Domestic institutions’ net selling strengthened influentially to QR18.01mn compared to QR5.95mn on Tuesday.
The GCC institutions’ net profit booking rose marginally to QR4.25mn against QR4.04mn on October 17.
Total trade volume fell 45% to 4.91mn shares, value by 28% to QR150.57mn and deals by 23% to 2,204.
The telecom sector reported 62% plunge in trade volume to 0.25mn equities but on doubled value to QR21.3mn despite 23% decline in transactions to 195.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume plummeted 61% to 1.67mn stocks, value by 32% to QR67.22mn and deals by 20% to 754.
There was 42% shrinkage in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 1.18mn shares and 53% in value to QR15.19mn but on 17% jump in transactions to 419.
The transport sector’s trade volume tanked 31% to 0.25mn equities, value by 42% to QR4.83mn and deals by 68% to 104.
The consumer goods sector saw 29% decline in trade volume to 0.15mn stocks, 7% in value to QR10.06mn and 41% in transactions to 120.
However, the insurance sector’s trade volume surged 60% to 0.16mn shares and value by 47% to QR6.47mn, while transactions were down 2% to 92.
The market witnessed 7% increase in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 1.26mn equities but on 40% slump in value to QR25.49mn and 24% in deals to 520.
In the debt market, there was no trading of government bonds and treasury bills.
