The Qatar Stock Exchange, which was initially on a slippery path, treaded a flat path finally despite strong buying interests especially in the transport and telecom sectors.

The 20-stock Qatar Index was down mere 0.01% to 10,657.44 points, although regional bourses were on the downswing. The market touched an intraday low of 10,618 points.

As much as 49% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation was down QR0.33bn or 0.05% to QR624.4bn on the back of microcap segments.

The local retail investors were seen net profit takers in the main market, which saw a meagre 78 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR264 changed hands across three deals.

The Gulf institutions were increasingly net sellers in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the rise.

The Islamic index was seen gaining vis-à-vis declines in the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.

The Arab individuals were increasingly bearish in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.

The Total Return Index was down 0.01% and the All Share Index by 0.07%; while the All Islamic Index was up 0.04% in the main market.

The insurance sector index declined 1.25%, consumer goods and services (0.41%), banks and financial services (0.21%) and industrials (0.15%); while transport gained 1.04%, telecom (0.9%) and real estate (0.16%).

Major shakers in the main bourse included Industries Qatar, Gulf International Services, Qatar Insurance, Ezdan, QLM, Dukhan Bank, Meeza, Qatar Islamic Insurance and Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution.

In the venture market, Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.

Nevertheless, Qamco, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Nakilat, Ooredoo, Lesha Bank and Vodafone Qatar were among the gainers in the main market.

In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares appreciate in value.

The local retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR11.97mn compared with net buyers of QR5.03mn on February 4.

The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking increased noticeably to QR9.71mn against QR0.26mn the previous day.

The foreign institutions’ net selling strengthened marginally to QR7.8mn compared to QR7.79mn on Tuesday.

The Arab individual investors were net sellers to the extent of QR2.87mn against net buyers of QR3.83mn on February 4.

The foreign retail investors’ net profit booking rose marginally to QR1.52mn compared to QR1.38mn the previous day.

However, the domestic institutions’ net buying grew substantially to QR33.6mn against QR0.9mn on Tuesday.

The Gulf individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.14mn compared with net sellers of QR0.36mn on February 4.

The Arab institutions’ net buying expanded marginally to QR0.12mn against QR0.05mn the previous day.

Trade volumes in the main market soared 15% to 219.2mn shares, value by 9% to QR562.11mn and deals by 3% to 19,301.

The venture market saw an 8% jump in trade volumes to 0.13mn equities, 13% in value to QR0.35mn and 47% in transactions to 28.