An across-the-board buying, especially in realty, consumer goods and telecom, lifted the Qatar Stock Exchange, which inched near 9,200 levels.

Increased buying support from domestic institutions and lower selling pressure from their Gulf counterparts helped the 20-stock Qatar Index gain 1.04% to 9,189.98 points.

The market saw sustained buying support in the first 120 minutes, after which there was some mild profit booking pressure for the next 15 minutes but only to see gains for the next 30 minutes. The last few minutes some gyrations both up and down but overall the index settled 95 points higher against the previous close.

Islamic stocks were seen gaining faster than the main index in the bourse, whose year-to-date losses were contained at 11.95%.

Gulf individual investors’ weakened net selling also helped the market, which saw brisk buying within mid and microcap segments.

Trade turnover and volumes were on the increase in the bourse, where telecom, real estate and banking sectors together accounted for more than 90% of the total volumes.

Market capitalisation expanded 1.37% or about QR7bn to QR496.23bn as mid, micro, large and small cap scrips gained 1.37%, 1.32%, 1.01% and 0.83% respectively.

The Total Return Index rose 1.04% to 15,411.05 points, All Share Index by 1.6% to 2,618.58 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index by 1.17% to 3,655.08 points.

The realty index soared 5.15%, consumer goods (3.1%), telecom (2.61%), insurance (0.86%), industrials (0.83%), banks and financial services (0.71%) and transport (0.13%).

About 74% of the stocks extended gains with major movers being Ezdan, Mazaya Qatar, Barwa, Woqod, Vodafone Qatar, Ooredoo, Qatar Islamic Bank, QIIB, Masraf Al Rayan, Aamal Company, Qatar Electricity and Water, Qatar Insurance, Nakilat, Widam Food, Al Meera, Mannai Corporation and Alijarah Holding.

Nevertheless, Gulf Warehousing, United Development Company, Dlala, Commercial Bank, Doha Bank and Qatar Oman Investment were among the losers.

Domestic institutions’ net buying strengthened considerably to QR46.93mn compared to QR31.57mn on Tuesday.

The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) funds’ net selling fell influentially to QR14.94mn against QR31.36mn on June 13.

The GCC individuals’ net profit booking declined marginally to QR1.08mn compared to QR1.64mn the previous day.

However, non-Qatari institutions’ net selling strengthened perceptibly to QR30.69mn against QR10.81mn on Tuesday.

Non-Qatari retail investors’ net buying decreased marginally to QR1.33mn compared to QR6.51mn on June 13.

Local retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR1.54mn against net buyers of QR5.76mn the previous day.

Total trade volumes rose 20% to 16.32mn shares, value by 30% to QR349.94mn and deals by 45% to 4,849.

The real estate sector’s trade volume grew more than eight-fold to 5.37mn equities and value by about six-fold 71% to QR74.07mn on almost tripled transactions to 1,014.

The consumer goods sector’s trade volume more than tripled to 0.71mn stocks and value more than quadrupled to QR73.36mn on more than doubled deals to 759.

There was 20% surge in the insurance sector’s trade volume to 0.06mn shares, 30% in value to QR4.04mn and 24% in transactions to 78.

The telecom sector’s trade volume was up 5% to 6.07mn equities, value by 8% to QR58.89mn and deals by 59% to 640.

However, the transport sector saw 45% plunge in trade volume to 0.45mn stocks and 67% in value to QR11.87mn but on 22% jump in transactions to 524.

The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume plummeted 42% to 3.25mn shares and value by 21% to QR98.29mn, while deals rose 9% to 1,507.

The industrials sector witnessed 14% shrinkage in trade volume to 0.42mn equities but on 33% expansion in value to QR29.43mn despite 20% lower transactions to 327.

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