The Qatar Stock Exchange remained flat on Thursday despite selling pressure in five of the seven sectors.
Increased net selling by domestic funds and weakened buying interests of foreign funds were contained by strengthened buying interests of Gulf funds and substantially lower net selling by local retail investors as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled mere 0.01% higher at 10,153.36 points, which is however up 19.12% year-to-date.
Small and microcap equities experienced heavy offloading pressure, resulting in market capitalisation to decline QR26mn, or 0.05%, to QR570.12bn.
Gulf individuals’ buying interests marginally expanded in the market, where Islamic stocks were seen treading a flat course.
Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored exchange traded fund QATR reported 0.42% decline, while Doha Bank-sponsored QETF was unchanged.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the bourse, where real estate and banking sectors together accounted for about 62% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index was up 0.01% to 17,889.08 points, while the All Share Index fell 0.03% to 2,996.27 points. The Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) was flat at 2,383.6 points.
The realty index gained 0.62% and banks and financial services 0.18%; while consumer goods declined 1.01%, telecom (0.84%), transport (0.82%), insurance (0.32%) and industrials (0.13%).
Major gainers included Commercial Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Alijarah Holding, Salam International Investment, Industries Qatar, Barwa and Ezdan; while Mannai Corporation, Widam Food, Qatar National Cement, Qatar Electricity and Water, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Mazaya Qatar, Ooredoo and Nakilat were among the losers.
Gulf institutions’ net buying increased substantially to QR13.03mn compared to QR1.08mn on October 24.
Non-Qatari individuals’ net buying increased considerably to QR6.56mn against QR1.47mn the previous day.
Gulf individuals’ net buying grew marginally to QR0.51mn compared to QR0.37mn on Wednesday.
However, domestic institutions’ net profit-booking strengthened substantially to QR18.2mn against QR1.75mn on October 24.
Local individuals’ net selling decreased influentially to QR7.11mn compared to QR32.43mn the previous day.
Non-Qatari funds’ net buying weakened significantly to QR5.22mn against QR31.22mn on Wednesday.
Total trade volume fell 18% to 5.42mn shares, value by 24% to QR163.11mn and transactions by 14% to 3,163.
The insurance sector’s trade volume plummeted 75% to 0.05mn equities, value by 79% to QR1.4mn and deals by 67% to 49.
The industrials sector reported a 57% plunge in trade volume to 0.56mn stocks, 28% in value to QR36.42mn and 32% in transactions to 560.
The transport sector’s trade volume tanked 47% to 0.56mn shares, value by 53% to QR11.82mn and deals by 8% to 427.
The banks and financial services sector saw a 29% shrinkage in trade volume to 1.22mn equities, 33% in value to QR62.12mn and 23% in transactions to 965.
The consumer goods sector’s trade volume shrank 19% to 0.13mn stocks, while value expanded 47% to QR14.2mn and deals by 36% to 262.
However, there was a 47% surge in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 2.13mn shares, 2% in value to QR22.99mn and 9% in transactions to 571.
The telecom sector’s trade volume was up 1% to 0.78mn equities, value by 43% to QR14.15mn and deals by 28% to 329.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and sovereign bonds.
