About 72% of the traded constituents were in the red as the 20-stock Qatar Index declined 0.09% to 10,040.9 points.
The consumer goods, realty, transport, insurance and industrials counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened further to 7.3%.
The domestic institutions were seen increasingly bearish in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR0.72bn or 0.12% to QR584.87bn with microcap cap segments leading the pack of shakers.
The Gulf institutions continued to be net sellers but with lesser intensity in the main market, which saw as many as 6,555 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.02mn trade across six deals.
The foreign funds were seen increasingly net buyers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
The Islamic index fell faster than the other indices in the main market, which reported no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index was down 0.09%, the All Share Index by 0.16% and the All Islamic Index by 0.26% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.
The consumer goods and services sector index tanked 1.28%, real estate (0.83%), transport (0.75%), insurance (0.34%) and industrials (0.25%); while telecom gained 0.65% and banks and financial services 0.08%.
Major shakers in the main market included Widam Food, Lesha Bank, Alijarah Holding, Medicare Group, Aamal Company, Woqod, Baladna, Qatar National Cement, Gulf International Services, QLM, Barwa, Milaha and Gulf Warehousing. In the venture market, Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.
Nevertheless, Qatari German Medical Devices, Ooredoo, QIIB, Qatar Islamic Bank and Inma Holding were among the gainers in the main market.
The local individuals’ net profit booking grew substantially to QR12.56mn compared to QR1.13mn on February 1.
The domestic institutions’ net selling strengthened considerably to QR9.22mn against QR0.31mn the previous trading day.
However, the foreign institutions’ net buying expanded significantly to QR18.21mn compared to QR5.9mn last Thursday.
The Arab individual investors’ net buying increased marginally to QR4.31mn against QR4.12mn on February 1.
The foreign individuals’ net buying also rose marginally to QR1.89mn compared to QR1.5mn the previous trading day.
The Gulf retail investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.42mn against net sellers of QR0.11mn last Thursday.
The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking decreased markedly to QR3.05mn compared to QR9.97mn on February 1.
The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the seventh straight session.
Trade volumes in the main market shrank 27% to 103.69mn shares, value by 34% to QR281.16mn and deals by 28% to 10,291.
The venture market saw 27% contraction in trade volumes to 0.11mn equities, 33% in value to QR0.14mn and 13% in transactions to 13.
