By Santhosh V Perumal
Business Reporter
The buying interest from local retail and institutional investors yesterday helped the Qatar Exchange gain 0.44% amid higher volumes.
Among the prime gainers on the QE yesterday were QNB, al khaliji, Masraf Al Rayan and Mawashi
Despite the selling pressure from foreign institutions, the 20-stock benchmark settled 38 points higher at 8,741.50.
The market is up 0.69% year-to-date.
Among the prime gainers were QNB, al khaliji, Masraf Al Rayan and Mawashi.
The banking index gained 0.70%, followed by services and industry with 0.09% gains each; while insurance was unchanged.
Market capitalisation rose 0.41% or about QR2bn to QR456.98bn.
Of the 42 stocks, 19 advanced, while 15 declined, six were unchanged and two were not traded.
Qatari individual investors turned bullish as they were net buyers to the tune of 4.99% against net sellers of 4.63% the previous trading day.
A higher 38.09% of them purchased equities compared to 34.89% last Thursday while a lower 33.10% sold against 39.52%.
Domestic institutions were increasingly bullish as their net buying surged to 8.16% from 2.66% the previous day.
A marginally higher 32.73% of them bought equities against 31.03% last Thursday, whereas a lower 24.57% of them sold compared to 28.37%.
Foreign institutions turned profit-takers as they were net sellers to the extent of 11.76% against net buyers of 3.49% the previous day.
A lower 15.90% of them were into buying compared to 19.59% last Thursday while a much higher 27.66% were into selling against 16.10%.
Non-Qatari retail investors’ bearish grip marginally eased as their net selling fell to 1.38% from 1.52% the previous day.
A marginally lower 13.28% of them were into buying against 14.49% last Thursday and a lower 14.66% were into offloading compared to 16.01%.
Total trading volume shot up 46% to 5.02mn equities, value by 50% to QR201.77mn and deals by 32% to 2,675.
Banks’ trading volume surged 65% to 2.25mn shares, value by 56% to QR87.93mn and transactions by 32% to 988.
The services sector’s trading volume expanded 53% to 2.19mn shares, value by 60% to QR64.28mn and deals by 31% to 1,144.
The industrial sector’s trading volume was up 6% to 0.56mn shares, value by 61% to QR47.88mn and transactions by 37% to 503.
However, the insurance sector’s trading volume plunged 73% to 0.03mn shares and value by 79% to QR1.68mn whereas deals were up 3% to 40.
Actively traded stocks (in terms of volume) were Rayan (1.46mn shares); Mawashi (729,822); Nakilat (602,662); Industries Qatar (301,485) and Barwa (231,701).
