Foreign institutions’ sustained profit booking yesterday extended the bearish run on the Qatar Exchange for the third day.

Mid, large and micro cap equities largely came under selling pressure as the 20-stock QE Index (based on price data) settled 0.09% lower at 8,333.99 points. The market is down 5.07% year-to-date.

The 20-stock Total Return Index also fell 0.09% to 11,278.90 points and the All Share Index (comprising wider constituents) by 0.11% to 2,005.71 points respectively. Both the indices factored in dividend income as well.

Under the All Share Index category, the index of banks and financial services fell 0.42% and consumer goods 0.31%; while the indices of telecom, industrials, realty and transport rose 0.51%, 0.19%, 0.06% and 0.06% respectively. The insurance index was flat.

Major losers included Commercialbank (Cb), Masraf Al Rayan and United Development Company; even as Mawashi, Qatari Investors Group and Vodafone Qatar bucked the trend.

Market capitalisation was down 0.07% or QR30mn to QR456.42bn with mid, large and micro cap equities losing 0.30%, 0.19% and 0.17% respectively; while small caps rose 0.20%.

Of the 42 stocks, 14 advanced, while 18 declined, eight were unchanged and two were not traded.

Foreign institutions’ net selling surged to 23.23% or QR36.29mn. A lower 16.10% of them were into buying against 17.91% the previous day, whereas a much higher 39.33% of them into selling compared to 28.78%.

Domestic institutions’ net buying soared to 13.12% or QR15.81mn. A higher 25.09% of them bought equities compared to 21.07% on Monday, but a lower 14.97% offloaded against 17.17%.

Qatari individual investors’ net buying increased to 13.26% or QR20.71mn. A lower 45.23% of them purchased equities compared to 49.15% on Monday, but a much lower 31.97% sold against 43.92%.

Non-Qatari retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of 0.15% or QR0.23mn. A higher 13.58% of them were into buying against 11.87% the previous day and a higher 13.73% compared to 10.13%.

Total trading volume rose 12% to 3.26mn shares, while value fell 7% to QR156.20mn but deals were up 2% to 2,470.

The telecom sector’s trading volume almost tripled to 0.59mn shares, whereas value shrank 43% to QR6.43mn but transactions gained 19% to 204.

The transport sector’s trading volume expanded 50% to 0.21mn shares, value by 67% to QR6.95mn and deals by 38% to 167.

The insurance sector’s trading volume soared 25% to 0.05mn shares and value by 52% to QR3mn, whereas transactions shrank 46% to 20.

The industrials sector’s trading volume gained 9% to 0.73mn shares, value by 2% to QR56.18mn and deals by 33% to 739.

The banks and financial services sector’s trading volume was up 2% to 0.83mn shares and value by 5% to QR44.74mn, while transactions were down 5% to 672.

However, the real estate sector’s trading volume plunged 18% to 0.32mn shares, value by 36% to QR6.15mn and deals by 28% to 167.

The consumer goods and services sector’s trading volume tanked 17% to 0.53mn shares, value by 23% to QR32.75mn and transactions by 18% to 501.

Actively traded stocks (in terms of volume) were Vodafone Qatar (573,824 shares); Mawashi (430,032); Industries Qatar (259,155), Qatari Investors Group (258,067) and Rayan (217,131).

In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills.