Foreign funds’ strong buying were mainly instrumental in the Qatar Stock Exchange settle above 9,600 levels this week which saw global credit rating agency Capital Intelligence affirm Qatar’s long term foreign and local currency ratings at ‘AA-’ and the corresponding short term ratings at ‘A1+’.

Banking and real estate counters experienced higher than average demand, leading to a 1.99% surge in the 20-stock Qatar Index this week which saw Vodafone Qatar report a net profit of QR49mn in the first half (H1) of this year.
The market witnessed a total volume of 55,242 QATR (Masraf Al Rayan sponsored exchange traded fund or ETF) valued at QR1.2mn trade across 57 transactions and as many as 10,621 QETF (Doha Bank sponsored ETF) valued at QR0.97mn change hands across 21 deals this week which saw Barwa Real Estate Group report H1 2018 net profit (attributable to shareholders) of QR804mn.
The Total Return Index gained 1.99%, All Share Index 2.06% and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) 1.73% this week which saw a NBK report that view Qatar’s move back to gas/liquefied natural gas (LNG) production to maintain its position as the world's largest LNG producer as non-oil pace is slated to taper with the government’s investment programme reaching an advanced phase.
The banks and financial services index grew 2.9%, realty (2.21%), industrials (1.69%), telecom (1.17%), consumer goods (1.06%) and transport (0.98%); while insurance fell 0.85% this week which saw Qatar Industrial Manufacturing Company’s net profit at QR108.2mn in H1, 2018.
More than 67% of the traded stocks extended gains this week which saw no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
Major gainers included Industries Qatar, Ezdan, QNB, Qatar Islamic Bank, Aamal Company, Ezdan, Masraf Al Rayan, Doha Insurance, QIIB, Nakilat and Ahlibank; while Doha Bank, Dlala, Zad Holding, Islamic Holding Group and Qatari Investors Group were among the losers this week which saw Dlala dominate trading ring in volume and value.
However, local and non-Qatari retail investors were increasingly net sellers this week which saw telecom and banking sectors together accounted for about 57% of total trade volume.
The banks and financial service sector accounted for 32% of the total trading volume, telecom (25%), real estate (14%), transport (12%), industrials (10%), consumer goods (4%) and insurance (3%) this week.
The banks and financial sector’s share in total trade turnover was 48%, industrials (14%), consumer goods (11%), telecom (10%), transport and realty (7% each) and insurance (3%) this week.
Non-Qatari institutions’ net buying increased significantly to QR176.77mn compared to QR66.19mn a week ago.
However, local retail investors’ net selling shot up substantially to QR178.42mn against QR120.85mn the previous week.
Non-Qatari individuals’ net profit booking grew perceptibly to QR17.99mn compared to QR3.45mn the week ended July 20.
Domestic funds’ net buying weakened considerably to QR19.73mn against QR58.11mn the previous week.
Total trade volume fell 3% to 31.19mn shares; while value rose 17% to QR967.04mn and transactions by 14% to 15,383.
The market witnessed 42% plunge in the insurance sector’s trade volume to 0.93mn equities, 42% in value to QR32.94mn and 27% in deals to 492.
The consumer goods sector’s trade volume plummeted 28% to 1.21mn stocks, value by 19% to QR103.45mn and transactions by 19% to 1,201.
There was 21% shrinkage in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 7.86mn shares, 13% in value to QR101.33mn and 4% in deals to 1,645
The transport sector’s trade volume tanked 15% to 3.69mn equities and value by 14% to QR68.21mn; while transactions were up 3% to 1,302.
However, the banks and financial services sector saw 35% surge in trade volume to 10.02mn stocks, 32% in value to QR460.72mn and 41% in deals to 5,419.
The industrials sector’s trade volume soared 14% to 3.16mn shares, value by 16% to QR136.2mn and transactions by 27% to 3,454.
The real estate sector reported 3% jump in trade volume to 4.32mn equities, 7% in value to QR64.18mn and 5% in deals to 1,870.

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