An across the board selling, particularly in the industrials, led the 20-stock Qatar Index tank 1.17% to 10,332.38 points.
The local retail investors turned net profit takers in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 3.26%.
More than 65% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, which touched an intraday high of 10,459 points.
However, the Gulf institutions were increasingly net buyers in the main market, whose capitalisation melted 0.88% to QR609.59bn with mid and small cap segments losing the most.
The foreign funds were seen bullish in the main bourse, which saw a total of 0.03mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.17mn changed hands across 13 deals.
The domestic institutions were increasingly net buyers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
The Islamic index fell slower than the other indices in the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index shrank 1.17%, All Share Index by 1.12% and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 1.06% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the rise.
The industrials sector index plummeted 1.66%, banks and financial services (1.15%), real estate (0.99%), telecom (0.91%), consume goods and services (0.76%), transport (0.36%) and insurance (0.36%).
Major losers in the main bourse included Inma Holding, Beema, Industries Qatar, Salam International Investment, Qatar Islamic Insurance, QNB, Commercial Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Qamco, Mazaya Qatar, Ezdan, Vodafone Qatar, Gulf Warehousing and Nakilat. In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value.
Nevertheless, Meeza, Dlala, Gulf International Services, Milaha and Mannai Corporation were among the gainers in the main market.
The local retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR47.05mn against net buyers of QR2.32mn on August 22.
However, the Gulf institutions’ net buying increased substantially to QR25.22mn compared to QR2.68mn on Tuesday.
The foreign institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR9.03mn against net profit takers of QR6.33mn the previous day.
The domestic institutions’ net buying strengthened noticeably to QR7.61mn compared to QR3.4mn on August 22.
The foreign retail investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.97mn against net sellers of QR1.06mn on Tuesday.
The Gulf individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR1.75mn compared with net sellers of QR1.58mn the previous day.
The Arab individual investors’ net buying expanded perceptibly to QR1.39mn against QR0.07mn on August 22.
The Arab institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.08mn compared with no major net exposure for the previous three sessions.
Trade volumes in the main market soared 42% to 179.47mn shares, value by 44% to QR482.3mn and deals by 77% to 25,120.
The venture market saw a 13% surge in trade volumes to 0.23mn equities but on 7% decline in value to QR0.41mn amidst flat transactions at 58.