The Qatar Stock Exchange on Thursday witnessed about 67% of the traded constituents returned gains, thus helping its benchmark surpass the 10,250 level.
Non-Qatari individuals turned net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index gained 0.22% to 10,259.07 points.
The weakened selling pressure from domestic and Gulf institutions also helped the market, whose sensitive index is down 0.39% year-to-date.
Market capitalisation was however down QR67mn, or 0.12%, to QR574.84bn mainly owing to large segments.
Islamic equities were seen gaining faster than the main index in the market, where Gulf individuals turned net sellers.
Trade turnover and volumes expanded in the bourse, where the banking sector alone accounted for more than 53% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index rose 0.22% to 18,877.56 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.47% to 2,412.1 points, while the All Share Index was down 0.08% to 3,129.66 points.
The telecom index gained 0.78%, banks and financial services (0.39%) and consumer goods (0.27%); while realty declined 1.3%, insurance (0.74%) and industrials (0.45%).
Major movers included Qatar First Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Al Khaleej Takaful, Qatar National Cement, Qatar Oman Investment, Islamic Holding Group, Vodafone Qatar, Gulf Warehousing and Salam International Investment; whereas Qatar Electricity and Water, Gulf International Services, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qatar Insurance and Ezdan were among the losers.
Non-Qatari individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR3.45mn compared with net sellers of QR1.58mn on Wednesday.
Domestic institutions’ net selling declined significantly to QR10mn against QR24.88mn the previous day.
Gulf institutions’ net profit booking shrank noticeably to QR0.1mn compared to QR4.94mn on April 10.
Local retail investors’ net selling weakened marginally to QR1.37mn against QR2.18mn on Wednesday.
However, Gulf individual investors turned net sellers to the extent of QR2.53mn against net buyers of QR0.14mn the previous day.
Non-Qatari institutions’ net buying decreased considerably to QR10.6mn compared to QR33.42mn on April 10.
Total trade volume rose 63% to 19.23mn shares, value by 7% to QR257.81mn and transactions by 18% to 6,464.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume grew about seven-fold to 10.27mn equities and value soared 56% to QR119.39mn on more-than-doubled deals to 1,706.
The insurance sector’s trade volume rose about six-fold to 0.63mn stocks and value quadrupled to QR13.28mn on more-than-tripled transactions to 391.
The telecom sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 1.61mn shares and value grew 82% to QR22.45mn on almost-doubled deals to 830.
There was a 12% growth in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 4.08mn equities but on a 12% shrinkage in value to QR47.77mn and 16% in transactions to 1,842.
The transport sector’s trade volume was up 8% to 0.27mn stocks, while value shrank 10% to QR7.04mn despite 2% higher deals at 168.
However, the realty sector reported a 67% plunge in trade volume to 1.61mn shares, 67% in value to QR21.73mn and 29% in transactions to 1,009.
The consumer goods sector’s trade volume plummeted 34% to 0.47mn equities but on a 36% expansion in value to QR26.14mn and deals by 22% to 518.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and sovereign bonds.
