Qatar bourse back on positive trajectory

By Santhosh V Perumal/Business Reporter

The Qatar Exchange was back in a positive trajectory yesterday, mainly lifted by transport, telecom and realty stocks, which outperformed the key indices.

Lower selling from local retail investors was witnessed as the 20-stock Qatar Index (based on price data) rose 0.54% to 9,085.90 points.

About 55% of the stocks extended gains with major movers being United Development Company (UDC), Barwa, Alijarah Holding, Milaha, Nakilat, Qatar Islamic Bank and Commercial Bank; even as Gulf International Services and al khaliji bucked the trend.

UDC, Barwa and Dlala Holding were among the most active by volume and value in the market, which is up 8.7% year-to-date (YTD) but still below Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait bourses, which returned double-digit gains to investors.

The 20-stock Total Return Index also gained 0.54% to 12,981.66 points, All Share Index (comprising wider constituents) by 0.45% to 2,309.49 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index by 0.5% to 2,757.04 points.

All the three indices factored in dividend income as well.

Under the All Share Index category, the transport group surged 1.98%, followed by telecom (1.07%), real estate (0.95%), insurance (0.6%), banks and financial services (0.28%), consumer goods (0.26%) and industrials (0.12%).

Transport, telecom, industrials, consumer goods, insurance, realty and banking sectors have gained YTD 23.16%, 19.82%, 18.95%, 18.29%, 15.99%, 10.55%, and 9.91% respectively.

Market capitalisation, however, expanded 0.48% or more than QR2bn to QR503.52bn with micro, mid and large cap equities notably gaining 0.84%, 0.6% and 0.47% respectively; even as small caps fell 0.09%.

Mid, small and large cap equities have gained YTD 10.51%, 10.31% and 7.74% respectively; while micro caps were down 0.66%.

Of the 42 stocks, 23 advanced, only 11 declined, five were unchanged and three were not traded.

Qatari individual investors’ net profit booking fell to 0.92% or QR3.19mn. A marginally lower 42.29% of them purchased equities against 43.19% the previous day and a lower 43.21% sold compared to 46.82%.

Domestic institutions’ net buying fell to 5.76% or QR19.96mn. A higher 26.84% of them were into buying against 24.45% on Tuesday and a higher 21.08% of them into selling compared to 16.96%.

Foreign institutions’ net selling surged to 3.79% or QR13.13mn. A lower 15.92% of them bought equities against 17.30% the previous day while a higher 19.71% offloaded compared to 17.53%.

Non-Qatari individual investors’ net profit booking fell to 1.05% or QR3.64mn. A marginally lower 14.95% of them bought equities against 15.05% on Tuesday and a lower 16% sold compared to 18.69%.

Total trading volume fell 18% to 10.20mn shares, value by 13% to QR346.50mn and deals by 7% to 5,583.

The consumer goods and  services sector’s trading volume plummeted 50% to 0.50mn shares, value by 46% to QR22.69mn and transactions by 36% to 353.

The industrials sector’s trading volume plunged 43% to 0.62mn shares, value by 35% to QR48.76mn and deals by 23% to 886.

The banks and financial services sector’s trading volume tanked 29% to 2.69mn shares, value by 17% to QR109.83mn and deals by less than 1% to 1,938.

The telecom sector’s trading volume declined 21% to 1.04mn shares, while value rose 1% to QR18.60mn and transactions by 14% to 330.

The real estate sector’s trading volume was down 2% to 3.19mn shares, value by 2% to QR70.01mn and deals by 15% to 963.

However, the insurance sector’s trading volume shot up 33% to 3.19mn shares, value by 42% to QR34.16mn and transactions by 6% to 388.

The transport sector’s trading volume rose 1% to 1.55mn shares, value by 14% to QR42.45mn and deals by 28% to 725.

Actively traded stocks (in terms of volume) were UDC (1.40mn shares); Barwa (1.31mn); Nakilat (1.25mn); Vodafone Qatar (955,183) and Dlala (791,600).

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