Qatar Stock Exchange witnessed strong buying in insurance, realty and telecom counters but overall it settled 0.09% lower; yet remained above 9,000 levels.

Foreign funds’ weakened buying support and local retail investors’ higher net selling led the 20-stock Qatar Index settle 0.09% lower at 9,098.64 points.

However, there were increased buying interests among domestic institutions in the market, which is up 6.75% year-to-date.

The penchant for small cap equities was visible in the bourse, whose capitalisation gained 0.15% to QR489.23bn.

Islamic stocks were seen declining faster than the main index in the market, which saw weakened net buying from Gulf funds and individuals.

Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the market, where banking, industrials and real estate sectors together accounted for more than 86% of the total volume.

The Total Return Index was down 0.09% to 15,361.8 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index by 0.33% to 3,681.67 points, while All Share Index rose 0.21% to 2,553.34 points.

The insurance index gained 1.19%, realty (1.2%), telecom (0.72%) and industrials (0.02%); whereas consumer goods declined 0.29%, transport (0.27%) and banks and financial services (0.08%).

About 49% of the stocks were losers with main shakers being QNB, Masraf Al Rayan, Qatar First Bank, Qatar National Cement, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding and Barwa; even as Commercial Bank, Ahlibank, Alijarah Holding, Aamal Company, Qatar Insurance, Ezdan, Ooredoo, Vodafone Qatar and Nakilat were among the gainers.

Local individuals’ net selling increased marginally to QR16.89mn compared to QR16.09mn on February 19.

Non-Qatari funds’ net buying weakened substantially to QR5.24mn against QR14.48mn the previous day.

However, domestic institutions’ net buying grew significantly to QR11.83mn compared to QR9.94mn on Monday.

Non-Qatari individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.9mn against net seller of QR1.66mn on February 19.

The Gulf institutions’ net selling weakened considerably to QR0.53mn compared to QR5.45mn the previous day.

The Gulf individual investors’ net profit booking declined perceptibly to QR0.57mn against QR1.2mn on Monday.

Total trade volume fell 48% to 4.55mn shares, value by 40% to QR119.34mn and transactions by 36% to 2,446.

The telecom sector reported 78% plunge in trade volume to 0.1mn equities, 70% in value to QR3.93mn and 66% increase in deals to 105.

The insurance sector’s trade volume plummeted 77% to 0.03mn stocks, value by 73% QR1.44mn and transactions by 80% to 35.

The industrials sector saw 61% shrinkage in trade volume to 1.36mn shares, 65% in value to QR25.7mn and 38% in deals to 785.

The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 54% to 1.37mn equities, value by 38% to QR42.4mn and transactions by 41% to 710.

The market witnessed 3% fall in the consumer goods sector’s trade volume to 0.37mn stocks and 16% in value to QR16.21mn but on 27% increase in deals to 292.

However, the transport sector’s trade volume soared 30% to 0.13mn shares and value by 35% to QR2.57mn, whereas transactions shank 29% to 80.

Although the real estate sector’s trade volume was flat at 1.19mn equities, there was 42% surge in value to QR27.09mn despite 23% lower deals to 439.

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

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