The Qatar Stock Exchange on Thursday treaded almost a flat path despite strong buying interests in telecom, real estate and banking equities.
Domestic funds were increasingly net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled mere 0.08% higher at 10,598.4 points.
Foreign institutions continued to be bullish but with lesser vigour in the market, which is up 24.35% year-to-date.
Market capitalisation gained about QR3bn or 0.43% to QR595.35bn, owing to small, micro and large cap segments.
Islamic equities were seen declining vis-à-vis gains in the other indices in the market, where local and non-Qatari individuals were increasingly net profit takers.
Trade turnover shrank amidst higher volumes in the bourse, where realty and banks sectors together accounted for more than 66% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index was up 0.08% to 18,673.21 points and All Share Index by 0.35% to 3,149.64 points, while Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) fell 0.05% to 2,471.87 points.
The telecom index gained 1.35%, real estate (0.89%), banks and financial services (0.58%), insurance (0.25%), transport (0.17%) and consumer goods (0.01%); whereas industrials declined 0.67%.
More than 53% of the traded stocks extended gains with major movers being QNB, Alijarah Holding, Qatari German Company for Medical Devices, Salam International Investment, Qatar Electricity and Water, Mazaya Qatar, United Development Company, Ezdan, Barwa, Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar; even as Industries Qatar, Doha Bank, Commercial Bank and Aamal Company were among the losers.
Domestic institutions’ net buying increased influentially to QR7.56mn compared to QR1.18mn the previous day.
The Gulf individual investors’ net buying grew perceptibly to QR1.86mn against QR0.03mn on December 5.
The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking decreased considerably to QR8.73mn compared to QR13.86mn on Wednesday.
However, local individual investors’ net selling shot up significantly to QR28.3mn against QR23.81mn the previous day
Non-Qatari individuals’ net profit booking grew substantially to QR4.14mn compared to QR0.98mn on December 5.
Non-Qatari institutions’ net buying declined noticeably to QR31.74mn against QR37.44mn on Wednesday.
Total trade volume rose 4% to 10.37mn shares, while value declined 24% to QR219.23mn and transactions by 4% to 5,386.
The consumer goods sector’s trade volume almost doubled to 0.87mn equities, while value declined 53% to QR14.89mn and deals by 22% to 350.
The insurance sector reported 89% surge in trade volume to 0.17mn stocks and 72% in value to QR6.29mn on more than doubled transactions to 157.
The telecom sector’s trade volume shot up 68% to 1.16mn shares, value by 57% to QR19.32mn and deals by 60% to 431.
The market witnessed 19% expansion in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 3.45mn equities but on 6% fall in value to QR42.22mn and 3% in transactions to 1,170.
However, the industrials sector’s trade volume plummeted 52% to 0.87mn stocks, value by 49% to QR23.02mn and deals by 10% to 713.
There was 16% plunge in the transport sector’s trade volume to 0.42mn shares, 39% in value to QR8.82mnm and 34% in transactions to 207.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume was down 4% to 3.43mn equities, value by 23% to QR104.68mn and deals by 5% to 2,358.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and sovereign bonds.
