The Qatar Stock Exchange Sunday opened the week weak as its key index lost 40 points, even as capitalisation expanded marginally.
The telecom, industrials and transport counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.35% lower at 11,449.26 points, although it touched an intraday high of 11,534 points.
The foreign funds were seen increasingly into net selling in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 1.52%.
The Arab individuals were seen net profit takers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation nevertheless saw QR0.18bn or 0.03% jump to QR643.2mn, mainly on small cap segments.
More than 68% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, which saw a total of 0.27mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.79mn changed hands across 19 deals.
The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the other indices in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the main market; while both turnover and volumes were seen expanding in the venture market.
The Total Return Index shed 0.35% and the All Share Index by 0.08%, while the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) shrank 0.61%.
The telecom sector index shrank 0.7%, industrials (0.69%), transport (0.51%), consumer goods and services (0.33%) and insurance (0.06%); while banks and financial services gained 0.28% and real estate (0.17%).
Major shakers in the main market included Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Mannai Corporation, Qatari German Medical Devices, Qatari Investors Group, Inma Holding, Masraf Al Rayan, Qatar Electricity and Water, Ooredoo and Milaha.
In the venture market, Mekdam Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.
Nevertheless, Aamal Company, QNB, Zad Holding, Gulf Warehousing and Vodafone Qatar were among the gainers in the main market.
The foreign institutions’ net selling increased substantially to QR47.97mn compared to QR7.87mn on December 8.
The Arab retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR2.25mn against net buyers of QR2.95mn last Thursday.
The foreign individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR2.19mn compared with net buyers of QR1.88mn the previous trading day.
The local retail investors’ net buying fell noticeably to QR13.62mn against QR20.69mn on December 8.
However, the domestic funds turned net buyers to the tune of QR39.63mn compared with net sellers of QR9.67mn last Thursday.
The Gulf institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR0.59mn against net profit takers of QR5.12mn the previous trading day.
The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking eased perceptibly to QR1.43mn compared to QR2.8mn on December 8.
The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net sellers to the extent of QR0.08mn last Thursday.
Total trade volume in the main market fell 9% to 94.32mn shares, value by 35% to QR287.24mn and deals by 47% to 7,952.
The trade volumes in the venture market quadrupled to 0.16mn equities and value almost quadrupled to QR1.18mn on more-than-tripled transactions to 79.
