Qatar stocks close flat despite industrials, transport buy interest

The Qatar Stock Exchange on Monday gained a marginal six points despite stronger buying interests in industrials and transport stocks.
Domestic institutions’ net buying support was to a great extent contained by profit-booking by local retail investors and foreign institutions as the 20-stock Qatar Index gained a mere 0.06% to 9,913.32 points.
Non-Qatari and Gulf individual investors as well as Gulf institutions turned net sellers in the market, where trading turnover and volumes were on the rise.
Industrials and transport stocks together accounted for more than 84% of the total trading volume in the bourse, which is however down 4.95% year-to-date.
Market capitalisation was up 0.09%, or QR48mn, to QR527.23bn.
The Total Return Index rose 0.22% to 15,486.85 points, the All Share Index by 0.32% to 2,655.23 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index by 0.26% to 3,532.07 points.
Industrials stocks gained 2.22%, followed by transport (1.13%) and consumer goods (0.67%); whereas real estate shrank 0.69%, banks and financial services (0.39%), insurance (0.04%) and telecom (0.02%).
About 67% of the stocks extended gains to investors with major movers being Gulf International Services, Aamal Company, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Nakilat, Qatari Investors Group, Vodafone Qatar, United Development Company, Mazaya Qatar, Alijarah Holding, Salam International Investment and Industries Qatar.
However, Barwa, Gulf Warehousing, QNB, Islamic Holding Group, Qatar Electricity and Water and Ooredoo were seen bucking the trend.
Domestic institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR41.46mn against net sellers of QR25.17mn on Sunday.
However, non-Qatari institutions turned net sellers to the extent of QR6.75mn compared with net buyers of QR2.75mn on February 21.
Local retail investors were also net sellers to the tune of QR23.71mn against net buyers of QR3.71mn the previous day.
Non-Qatari individual investors turned net profit-takers to the extent of QR5.16mn compared with net buyers of QR8.8mn on Sunday.
The GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR3.77mn against net buyers of QR0.83mn on February 21.
The GCC individuals were also net profit-takers to the extent of QR2.08mn compared with net buyers of QR9.12mn the previous day.
Total trade volume rose 13% to 14.58mn shares, value by 8% to QR495.97mn and deals by 18% to 6,140.
The insurance sector’s trade volume almost tripled to 0.11mn equities and value more than doubled to QR2.67mn on almost-tripled-transactions to 88.
The consumer goods sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 1.41mn stocks and value almost doubled to QR50.38mn on a 74% jump in deals to 783.
The market witnessed a 34% surge in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 4.72mn shares, 35% in value to QR182.14mn and 47% in transactions to 2,203.
The telecom sector’s trade volume expanded 32% to 0.33mn equities, while value shrank 8% to QR7.54mn and deals by 25% to 280.
However, there was a 15% shrinkage in the transport sector’s trade volume to 0.45mn stocks, 29% in value to QR11.02mn and 11% in transactions to 223.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume declined 6% to 3.87mn shares, value by 14% to QR145.8mn and deals by 10% to 1,421.
The real estate sector saw a 1% dip in trade volume to 3.69mn equities and 7% in value to QR96.42mn but on 14% increase in transactions to 1,142.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and government bonds.