Business
Fears of regional contagion drag QSE down 365 points; M-cap evaporates QR21bn
June 20, 2025 | 11:05 PM
Heightened tensions on Iran-Israel conflict and the appurtenant fears of wider ramifications in the region had their inherent dampening effect on the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), whose key index plummeted 365 points and capitalisation eroded more than QR21bn this week.An across the board selling – notably in the transport, telecom, insurance and real estate counters – led the 20-stock Qatar Index tank 3.44% this week which saw Edaa modify the foreigners’ ownership limit of Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding Company to 100% of the total capital."A major concern is the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly 20% of global oil trade; while Iran has not yet targeted the route, even a limited disruption would severely impact global supply," Oxford Economics said in a research note.There was only one gainer (Industries Qatar) in the bourse this week which saw Aamal Company, one of the region’s leading diversified companies, planning to acquire PME Qatar, a leading manufacturer and supplier of high-quality thermoplastic piping systems, serving the country's construction, civil engineering, and industrial sectors.The Arab individual investors were seen increasingly net sellers this week which saw Moody’s, a global credit rating agency, affirm Commercial Bank’s long-term counterparty risk rating at "A2” and deposit rating at "A3” with a "stable" outlook.The domestic funds were also seen increasingly bearish this week which saw Fitch, an international credit rating agency, affirm Commercial Bank's long-term issuer default rating at 'A' with a "stable" outlook.The Gulf institutions were increasingly net profit takers in the main market this week which saw Fitch confirm Dukhan Bank's credit rating at 'A' with "stable" outlook.The foreign individuals were increasingly net sellers in the main bourse this week which saw a total of 53,695 AlRayan Bank-sponsored exchange traded fund QATR worth QR0.12mn trade across 37 deals.More than 96% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market this week which saw as many as 1,290 Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR0.01mn change hands across six transactions.The local retail investors continued to be net profit takers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse this week which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The foreign funds’ weakened net buying had its influence on the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the other indices of the main market this week, which saw Fitch confirm QIIB's credit rating at 'A' with "stable" outlook.Market capitalisation eroded QR21.66bn or 3.45% to QR605.41bn on the back of large and midcap segments this week which saw the industrials, realty and banks together constitute about 73% of the total trade volumes.Trade turnover and volumes were on the increase in the main bourse; while it was on the decline in the venture market this week which saw Gulf Warehousing Company establish a wholly-owned subsidiary in Saudi Arabia to expand its regional presence and enhance its logistics and supply chain capabilities across the Gulf Cooperation Council.The Total Return Index plunged 3.44%, the All Islamic Index by 2.91% and the All Share Index by 3.46% this week which saw Qatar Insurance Company (QIC) receive (p)‘AAA’ ESG Rating by MSCI ESG Research, the highest possible rating under MSCI’s globally recognised environmental, social, and governance framework.The transport sector index tanked 6.65%, telecom (5.67%), insurance (5.62%), real estate (4.25%), banks and financial services (3.22%), consumer goods and services (2.32%) and industrials (2.02%) this week which saw Fitch confirm the credit rating of Doha Bank at 'A' with "stable" outlook.Major losers in the main bourse included Widam Food, Inma Holding, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Qatar German Medical Devices, Aamal Company, Commercial Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, QNB, Doha Bank, Lesha Bank, Dlala, Qatar Oman Investment, Salam International Investment, Medicare Group, Mannai Corporation, Estithmar Holding, Qamco, QIC, Ezdan, Mazaya Qatar, Barwa, Ooredoo, Vodafone Qatar, Nakilat and Gulf Warehousing. In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value this week.The Arab retail investors’ net selling increased substantially to QR55.08mn compared to QR33.12mn the previous week.The domestic funds’ net selling strengthened significantly to QR28.14mn against QR6.21mn the week ended June 12.The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking expanded noticeably to QR15.25mn compared to QR4.88mn a week ago.The foreign individual investors’ net selling rose perceptibly to QR6.45mn against QR3.64mn the previous week.The foreign funds’ net buying weakened markedly to QR109.13mn compared to QR124.23mn the week ended June 12.However, the local retail investors’ net profit booking shrank drastically to QR4.16mn against QR69.77mn a week ago.The Gulf individual investors’ net selling eased markedly to QR0.04mn compared to QR6.51mn the previous week.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net profit takers to the tune of QR0.1mn the week ended June 12.The main market saw an 88% jump in trade volumes to 1.17bn shares, more than doubling value to QR3.07bn on 73% increase in deals to 127,685 this week.In the venture market, trade volumes declined 33% to 0.12mn equities, value by 33% to QR0.32mn and transactions by 7% to 41.
June 20, 2025 | 11:05 PM