Sustained profit-booking extends QE losing run

By Santhosh V Perumal/Business Reporter

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.