The market, which was skewed towards decliners, saw its index touch an intraday high of 9,970 points. The domestic institutions were also increasingly net profit takers in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 6.86%.
The foreign individual investors’ weakened net buying had its influence in the main bourse, whose capitalisation was however up QR0.3bn or 0.05% to QR578.38bn, mainly on account of microcap segments.
The Gulf institutions continued to be net buyers but with lesser vigour in the main market, which saw a total of 0.05mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.24mn changed hands across 15 deals.
However, the local retail investors were seen increasingly net buyers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the main index in the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index was down 0.05% and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.22%, while All Share Index rose 0.14% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.
The real estate sector index fell 0.91%, industrials (0.39%) and telecom (0.35%); while insurance shot up 3.63%, consumer goods and services (0.86%), transport (0.7%) and banks and financial services (0.08%).
More than 63% of the traded constituents in the main market were in the red with major losers being Qatar National Cement, Inma Holding, Estithmar Holding, Lesha Bank, QIIB, Dukhan Bank, Mannai Corporation, Beema, Mazaya Qatar and United Development Company. In the venture market, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.
Nevertheless, QLM, Qatar Insurance, Gulf Warehousing, Qatari Investors Group, Woqod, Baladna, Gulf International Services, Al Khaleej Takaful and Milaha were among the gainers in the main market.
The foreign institutions’ net selling increased considerably to QR11.03mn compared to QR2.39mn on April 18.
The domestic institutions’ net selling increased significantly to QR9.64mn against QR4.81mn the4 previous day.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying weakened perceptibly to QR2.68mn compared to QR4.35mn on Tuesday.
The foreign individuals’ net buying weakened markedly to QR0.09mn against QR2.4mn on April 18.
However, the local retail investors’ net buying expanded substantially to QR17.82mn compared to QR4.5mn the previous day.
The Gulf retail investors’ net buying strengthened marginally to QR0.47mn against QR0.32mn on Tuesday.
The Arab individuals’ net profit booking fell substantially to QR0.4mn compared to QR4.35mn on April 18.
The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net sellers to the tune of QR0.02mn the previous day.
The main market saw 17% shrinkage in trade volumes to 80.48mn shares, 10% in value to QR279.78mn and 5% in deals to 12,832.
