The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index closed the current trading week down 1.18%, losing 120.59 points from the previous week's close to finish at 10,090 points, weighed down by declines in six sectors.
The industrial sector posted the biggest losses during the week, falling 2.38%, followed by the real estate sector, which declined 1.2%. The insurance sector was the only sector to record a positive performance, edging up 0.08%.
In remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), financial market analyst Youssef Bouhlaiqa said the Qatari market continues to retain fundamental support factors that enhance its ability to overcome current volatility despite the continued cautious sentiment prevailing across regional financial markets.
He said the half-year financial results announced so far, led by QNB Group and Dukhan Bank, have been positive, reflecting the strength of the banking sector, although those results have not yet enabled the benchmark index to move above the 10,300-point level.
Bouhlaiqa attributed the recent decline in the benchmark index, which exceeded 120 points, primarily to external factors rather than the fundamentals of the domestic economy, adding that this could create opportunities for selective investment in blue-chip stocks as uncertainty eases.
He stressed that despite current challenges, the Qatari market continues to benefit from several factors supporting its medium-term performance, most notably the strong financial positions of listed companies, continued robust dividend distributions, high liquidity levels in the banking sector, the resilience of the Qatari economy, and continued spending on development projects.
Bouhlaiqa said the market's performance in the coming period is likely to remain tied to geopolitical developments, as well as the financial results of the remaining companies. However, he said the continued strong financial performance of leading companies could gradually restore investor confidence and support the index's return to an upward trajectory once external pressures subside.