The Qatar Stock Exchange witnessed lower trade turnover and volumes but overall its key index rose 49 points to inch near the 10,450 mark.

Led by banking, consumer goods and real estate equities, the bourse’s 20-stock Qatar Index gained 0.47% to 10,445.24 points despite global oil prices hovering a little above the four-month low.

Domestic institutions and non-Qatari individual investors turned net buyers in the market, which recorded a marginal 0.08% gains year-to-date.

Mid and large cap equities witnessed the maximum demand in the bourse, where foreign institutions’ buying support considerably weakened.

Islamic stocks were seen gaining faster than the main index, but slower against other indices in the market, where local retail investors and Gulf institutions were increasingly into net profit booking.

Trade turnover and volumes shrank in the market, where banking, realty and telecom sectors together accounted for more than 83% of the total volumes.

Market capitalisation rose more than QR2bn, or 0.39%, to QR559.56bn with mid and large cap equities gaining 1.09% and 0.53%; while small and microcaps fell 0.54% and 0.1% respectively.

The Total Return Index gained 0.65% to 17,311.48 points, the All Share Index by 0.69% to 2,939.51 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index by 0.62% to 4,136.33 points.

The banks and financial services sector saw its index add 1.53%, followed by consumer goods (0.9%), real estate (0.86%), transport (0.26%) and telecom (0.13%); whereas insurance and industrials declined 1.1% and 0.34% respectively.

More than 57% of the stocks extended gains with major movers being QNB, Commercial Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Ahli Bank, Ezdan, Mazaya Qatar, Nakilat, Qatari Investors Group, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Gulf International Services, al khaliji and Alijarah Holding.

Nevertheless, among the losers were Ooredoo, Mannai Corporation, Qatar First Bank, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Qatar Insurance, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Industries Qatar and Dlala.

Domestic institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.99mn compared with net sellers of QR169.88mn on Wednesday.

Non-Qatari individual investors were also net buyers to the extent of QR1.71mn against net sellers of QR2.62mn the previous day.

However, non-Qatari institutions’ net buying fell substantially to QR39.79mn compared to QR180.04mn on March 22.

Local retail investors’ net profit-booking increased considerably to QR35.01mn against QR3.37mn on Wednesday.

The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) institutions’ net selling strengthened to QR10.06mn compared to QR6.04mn the previous day.

The GCC retail investors’ net buying declined marginally to QR1.56mn against QR1.83mn on March 22.

Total trade volumes fell 37% to 7.2mn shares, value by 40% to QR251.51mn and deals by 16% to 3,032.

There was a 63% plunge in the transport sector’s trade volume to 0.32mn equities, 63% in value to QR13.39mn and 64% in transactions to 171.

The real estate sector’s trade volume plummeted 41% to 1.57mn stocks, value by 49% to QR31.37mn and deals by 52% to 361.

The market witnessed a 38% shrinkage in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 1.07mn shares but on a 15% increase in value to QR17.8mn and 80% in transactions to 249.

The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 37% to 3.35mn equities, value by 49% to QR130.19mn and deals by 7% to 1,250.

The industrials sector reported a a 7% fall in trade volume to 0.57mn stocks but on a 8% rise in value to QR36.44mn. Transactions were lower by 9% to 577.

However, the insurance sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 0.1mn shares and value also more than doubled to QR6.12mn on almost tripled deals to 87.

The consumer goods sector saw a 33% surge in trade volume to 0.2mm equities, 30% in value to QR16.19mn and 39% in transactions to 337.

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

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