The industrials sector witnessed higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index plunged 1.09% to 10,686.03 points.
The foreign funds were increasingly net sellers in the main market, which saw the index touch an intraday high of 10,812 points.
The Arab individuals were seen increasingly bearish in the main bourse, whose year-to-date gains truncated to 0.05%.
About 64% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market, whose capitalisation shrank 0.85% to QR629.65bn with small and microcap segments losing the most.
The domestic institutions’ weakened net buying had its influence in the main bourse, which saw a total of 10,032 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.09mn changed hands across nine deals.
The foreign retail investors turned net profit takers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the main index in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index shed 1.09%, All Share Index by 0.91% and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 1.07% in the main market, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the rise.
The industrials sector index tanked 2.12%, banks and financial services (0.86%), real estate (0.84%), transport (0.34%), insurance (0.31%) and consumer goods and services (0.16%); while telecom gained 1.47%.
Major losers in the main market included Industries Qatar, QLM, Salam International Investment, Alijarah Holding, QIIB, Qatar Islamic Bank, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Estithmar Holding, Barwa and Mazaya Qatar. In the venture market, Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.
Nevertheless, Dlala, Inma Holding, Widam Food, Ooredoo, Qatari German Medical Devices, Baladna, Beema and Qatar Islamic Insurance were among the gainers in the main market. In the junior bourse, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.
The foreign institutions’ net selling increased noticeably to QR17.89mn compared to QR3.54mn on August 7.
The Arab individual investors’ net selling strengthened markedly to QR5.76mn against QR0.99mn on Monday.
The foreign individuals turned net profit takers to the tune of QR0.45mn compared with net buyers of QR0.48mn the previous day.
The domestic institutions’ net buying weakened substantially to QR4.72mn against QR17.69mn on August 7.
However, the local retail investors’ net buying increased significantly to QR19.41mn compared to QR6.24mn on Monday.
The Gulf individuals’ net buying strengthened perceptibly to QR1.48mn against QR0.31mn the previous day.
The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking shrank considerably to QR1.51mn compared to QR20.19mn on August 7.
The Arab institutions had no major net exposure.
Trade volumes in the main market were up 13% to 124.53mn shares, value by 17% to QR392.69mn and deals by 7% to 15,669.
The venture market saw an 18% plunge in trade volumes to 0.55mn equities, 25% in value to QR1.06mn and 13% in transactions to 111.
