Foreign institutions turned bullish and there was also increased buying support from Gulf individual investors as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled seven points or 0.07% higher at 10,670.51 points.
Realty, transport, insurance and industrials counters witnessed higher than average demand in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 2.24%.
Islamic stocks were seen outperforming the main index and other indices in the bourse, where selling pressure weakened among local retail investors.
However, domestic institutions turned net profit takers and there was reduced buying support from Gulf institutions and non-Qatari individual investors.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the increase in the market, where real estate, telecom and consumer goods sectors together accounted for more than 72% of the total volumes.
Market capitalisation was rather unchanged at QR571.7bn despite micro, large and midcap equities losing 0.23%, 0.1% and 0.08% respectively; even as small caps gained 0.38%.
The Total Return Index was up 0.07% to 17,321.29 points, All Share Index by 0.02% to 2,933.58 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index by 0.24% to 4,033.07 points.
The realty sector saw its index gain 0.65%, transport (0.5%), insurance (0.47%) and industrials (0.39%), whereas telecom declined 1.1%, consumer goods (0.55%) and banks and financial services (0.36%).
A half of the traded the stocks extended gains with major movers being Commercial Bank, Ooredoo, Nakilat, Qatar Insurance, Industries Qatar, United Development Company, Barwa, Ezdan, Vodafone Qatar, Gulf Warehousing, Al Khaleej Takaful, Medicare Group, Qatari German Company for Medical Devices and Widam Food.
Nevertheless, Qatar Islamic Bank, Doha Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Woqod, Gulf International Services, Aamal Company, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Ooredoo, Mazaya Qatar and Alijarah Holding were among the losers.
Non-Qatari institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR17.9mn compared with net sellers of QR8.3mn on February 12.
The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) retail investors’ net buying rose to QR4.46mn against QR1.23mn the previous day.
Local retail investors’ net profit booking declined perceptibly to QR8.38mn compared to QR12.85mn on Sunday.
However, domestic institutions turned net sellers to the extent of QR15.26mn against net buyers of QR12.79mn on February 12.
Non-Qatari individual investors’ net buying declined to QR0.9mn compared to QR3.15mn the previous day.
The GCC institutions’ net buying also weakened perceptibly to QR0.38mn against QR3.95mn on Sunday.
Total trade volume rose 35% to 7.78mn shares, value by 27% to QR237.39mn and deals by 25% to 3,448.
The consumer goods sector’s trade volume almost tripled to 1.46mm equities and value soared 50% to QR47.77n on more than doubled transactions to 687.
The transport sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 0.26mn stocks and value gained 28% to QR8.62mn on more than doubled deals to 165.
The market witnessed 44% surge in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 1.97mn shares, 64% in value to QR24.38mn and 26% in transactions to 279.
The real estate sector’s trade volume shot up 25% to 2.19mn equities, value by 24% to QR50.87mn and deals by 10% to 641.
The banks and financial services sector saw 18% expansion in trade volume to 1.14mn stocks, 39% in value to QR61.77mn and 28% in transactions to 847.
However, the insurance sector’s trade volume plummeted 48% to 0.17mn shares, value by 50% to QR9.85mn and deals by 12% to 255.
There was 19% decline in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 0.6mn equities but on 22% jump in value to QR34.14mn. Transactions were down 2% to 574.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and government bonds.