Foreign funds’ sustained strong buying interests placed the Qatar Stock Exchange above the 9,000 level.
The insurance, transport and realty counters witnessed higher than average demand, which helped the 20-stock Qatar Index gain 0.3% to 9,002.46 points. Mid-cap equities largely came under buying spotlight.
The Gulf institutions’ increased buying support also helped the market, whose capitalisation grew 0.44% to QR495.86bn.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the bourse, where the real estate, banking and industrials sectors together accounted for more than 82% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index gained 0.3% to 15,096.59 points, the Al Rayan Islamic Index by 0.02% to 3,615.28 points and the All Share Index by 0.68% to 2,585.01 points.
The insurance index shot up 4.88%, followed by transport (2.51%), realty (1.9%), industrials (0.11%) and telecom (0.09%); while banks and financial services fell 0.22% and consumer goods 0.04%.
More than 53% of the stocks extended gains with major movers being Qatar Insurance, Doha Insurance, Milaha, Commercial Bank, Aamal Company, Barwa, Ezdan, Nakilat, Mannai Corporation, Gulf International Services and Industries Qatar.
Nevertheless, Qatar Islamic Bank, Doha bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Qatar First Bank, Qatari German Company for Medical Devices, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding and Mazaya Qatar were among the losers.
Non-Qatari institutions’ net buying grew significantly to QR64.42mn compared to QR46.82mn on January 8.
Gulf institutions’ net buying increased considerably to QR9.32mn against QR0.74mn the previous day.
Domestic funds’ net selling weakened perceptibly to QR25.84mn compared to QR33.61mn on Monday.
Gulf retail investors’ net profit-booking fell marginally to QR1.05mn against QR1.69mn on January 8.
However, local individuals’ net selling strengthened substantially to QR43.43mn compared to QR14.4mn the previous day.
Non-Qatari retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR3.39mn against net buyers of QR2.18mn on Monday.
Total trade volume fell 28% to 11.02mn shares, value by 31% to QR283.29mn and deals by 24% to 5,117.
The consumer goods sector saw a 57% plunge in trade volume to 0.41mn equities, 48% in value to QR22.43mn and 45% in transactions to 357.
The telecom sector’s trade volume plummeted 43% to 0.55mn stocks, value by 56% to QR7.28mn and deals by 36% to 253.
The industrials sector reported a 33% shrinkage in trade volume to 2.73mn shares, 43% in value to QR54.18mn and 29% in transactions to 1,126.
The insurance sector’s trade volume tanked 31% to 0.09mn equities, value by 39% to QR3.91mn and deals by 39% to 88.
There was a 27% decline in the banks and financial services sector’s trade volume to 2.87mn stocks, 32% in value to QR102.29mn and 17% in transactions to 1,671.
The transport sector’s trade volume shrank 22% to 0.9mn shares, while value grew 6% to QR31.72mn despite 9% lower deals to 438.
The market witnessed a 14% fall in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 3.46mn equities, 14% in value to QR61.47mn and 17% in transactions to 1,184.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and sovereign bonds.
