Six of the seven sectors witnessed buying interests, but the Qatar Stock Exchange managed to gain only two points Sunday.
The Gulf institutions were increasingly net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.02% higher at 10,352.22 points.
Non-Qatari and the Gulf individuals turned marginally bullish in the market, which closed 0.52% higher year-to-date.
Market capitalisation grew 0.27%, or about QR2bn, to QR592.78bn mainly owing to micro and small cap segments.
Islamic equities were seen gaining faster than the main index in the market, where domestic funds were increasingly net profit takers.
Trade turnover fell amid higher volumes in the bourse, where the industrials, telecom and banking sectors together accounted for more than 84% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index was up 0.02% to 18,239.46 points, the All Share Index by 0.34% to 3,107.88 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.1% to 2,416.46 points.
The insurance index soared 1.06%, followed by real estate (0.69%), transport (0.41%), banks and financial services (0.35%), telecom (0.27%) and consumer goods (0.22%); whereas industrials was down 0.06%.
About 63% of the stocks extended gains with major movers being Qatari German Company for Medical Devices, Aamal Company, Qatar Insurance, Ezdan, Gulf Warehousing, Doha Bank, QIIB, Qatar Oman Investment and Widam Food; even as Commercial Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Industries Qatar, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Barwa and Mazaya Qatar were among the losers.
Gulf funds’ net buying increased perceptibly to QR6.15mn compared to QR3.28mn the previous trading day.
Non-Qatari individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR6.13mn against net sellers of QR0.06mn on January 3.
Gulf individuals were also net buyers to the extent of QR0.03mn compared with net sellers of QR1.51mn last Thursday.
Domestic funds’ net profit booking declined substantially to QR3.11mn against QR28.09mn the previous trading day.
However, local individuals’ net selling grew marginally to QR33.6mn compared to QR32.23mn on January 3.
Non-Qatari institutions’ net buying weakened significantly to QR24.39mn against QR58.59mn last Thursday.
Total trade volume rose 34% to 10.11mn shares, while value fell 25% to QR148.81mn and transactions by 16% to 5,676.
The telecom sector’s trade volume more than quadrupled to 2.59mn equities, value soared 87% to QR23.23mn and deals by 15% to 491.
The consumer goods sector’s trade volume doubled to 0.3mn stocks, while value declined 33% to QR4.15mn and transactions by 20% to 181.
The insurance sector reported a 53% surge in trade volume to 0.23mn shares and 66% in value to QR8.61mn but on a 3% fall in deals to 131.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume shot up 16% to 1.67mn equities, whereas value shrank 63% to QR31.21mn and transactions by 58% to 648.
There was a 13% increase in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 4.27mn stocks but on a 7% fall in value to QR62.11mn despite a 2% higher deals at 3,650.
However, the real estate sector’s trade volume plummeted 24% to 0.96mn shares, value by 24% to QR16.21mn and transactions by 37% to 441.
The transport sector saw a 23% plunge in trade volume to 0.1mn equities but on a 22% jump in value to QR3.29mn despite a 22% lower deals at 134.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and sovereign bonds.
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