Apprehensions over global trade flows had its reflections on the Qatar Stock Exchange, which fell 276 points to settle below 8,500 points on an across-the-board selling wave.

Foreign institutions were increasingly profit-takers as the 20-stock Qatar Index fell 3.16% to 8,454.18 points as some entities were also hit by dividend woes.

Gulf individuals’ net buying marginally weakened in market, which is down 0.81% year-to-date.

Islamic stocks were seen declining slower than the main index in the bourse, which however saw increased buying support from domestic and Gulf funds as well as local retail investors.

Selling was seen strong especially within mid and microcap segments in the market, whose capitalisation eroded 2.75% to QR454.73bn.

Trade turnover and volumes were on the increase in the bourse, where the industrials, banking and telecom sectors together accounted for about 82% of the total volume.

The Total Return Index shed 2.22% to 14,673.57 points, the All Share Index by 1.83% to 2,427.02 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index by 1.44% to 3,564.04 points.

The transport index tanked 2.17%, followed by banks and financial services (2.12%), realty (2.1%), industrials (1.97%), telecom (1.62%), insurance (0.25%) and consumer goods (0.12%).

About 74% of the stocks were in the red with major losers being Industries Qatar, Vodafone Qatar, Ooredoo, Barwa, Doha Bank, Commercial Bank, QNB, Masraf Al Rayan, Qatar Islamic Bank, QIIB, Qatar Electricity and Water, Ezdan, Nakilat Milaha; whereas Aamal Company, Gulf International Services, Gulf Warehousing, Medicare Group, Qatar Islamic Insurance and Mazaya Qatar were among the gainers.

Non-Qatari institutions’ net profit-booking strengthened substantially to QR52.25mn against QR24.51mn last Thursday.

Gulf individuals’ net buying declined marginally to QR0.91mn compared to QR1.22mn the previous trading day.

However, domestic funds’ net buying increased considerably to QR30.11mn against QR6.45mn on March 1.

Local retail investors’ net buying grew perceptibly to QR14.43mn compared to QR12.7mn last Thursday.

The Gulf institutions’ net buying rose marginally to QR4.55mn against QR4.39mn the previous trading day.

Non-Qatari individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR2.21mn compared with net sellers of QR0.27mn on March 1.

Total trade volume rose 21% to 13.35mn shares, value by 5% to QR260.06mn and transactions by 17% to 4,609.

The industrials sector reported a 78% surge in trade volume to 5.45mn equities, 22% in value to QR82.69mn and 37% in deals to 1,142.

The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume soared 69% to 2.8mn stocks, value by 64% to QR90.42mn and transactions by 49% to 1,386.

The market witnessed a 12% expansion in the transport sector’s trade volume to 0.47mn shares but on a 33% drop in value to QR10.48mn despite 17% higher deals to 319.

However, the consumer goods sector’s trade volume plummeted 35% to 0.34mn equities, value by 56% to QR16.02mn and transactions by 40% to 285.

There was a 25% plunge in the insurance sector’s trade volume to 0.3mn stocks and 23% in value to QR11.39mn but on 21% jump in deals to 286.

The real estate sector’s trade volume tanked 23% to 1.33mn shares and value by 21% to QR20.11mn while transactions gained 30% to 655.

The telecom sector saw a 17% shrinkage in trade volume to 2.65mn equities, 12% in value to QR28.95mn 22% in transactions to 536.

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

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