The Qatar Stock Exchange on Monday gained more than 86 points to inch near 9,800 levels, mainly on strong buying interests in the banking counter.

Foreign institutions were increasingly net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.89% higher at 9,783.56 points.

The Gulf institutions were seen bullish which also helped lift the sentiments in market, whose sensitive index is however down 5% year-to-date.

Market capitalisation gained about QR2bn or 0.345% to QR539.17bn mainly owing to small and microcap segments.

Islamic equities were seen gaining slower than the main index in the market, where Gulf retail investors’ selling pressure significantly increased.

Trade turnover and volumes were on the increase in the bourse, where industrials, banking and realty sectors together accounted for more than 84% of the total volume.

The Total Return Index gained 0.89% to 18,002.58 points, Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.42% to 2,268.36 points and All Share Index by 0.6% to 2,903.81 points.

The banks and financial services index surged 2.72%, consumer goods (0.72%) and insurance (0.14%); whereas industrials tanked 2.15%, real estate (1.71%), telecom (1.52%) and transport (0.29%).

Major gainers included Qatar Islamic Bank, QNB, Qatar First Bank, QIIB, Barwa, Medicare Group, Salam International Investment and Zad Holding; even as more than 53% of the traded stocks were in the red with major losers being Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Gulf International Services, Ezdan, Ooredoo, Mannai Corporation and Al Khaleej Takaful.

Non-Qatari institutions’ net buying increased substantially to QR143.63mn compared to QR51.86mn on May 26.

The Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR16.01mn against net sellers of QR1.25mn the previous day.

Non-Qatari individuals’ net buying strengthened noticeably to QR9.5mn compared to QR0.83mn on Sunday.

Domestic institutions’ net profit booking declined influentially to QR36.19mn against QR73.25mn on May 26.

However, the Gulf individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR127.39mn compared with net buyers of QR0.98mn the previous day.

Local retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR5.62mn against net buyers of QR20.83mn on Sunday.

Total trade volume grew 86% to 19.16mn shares, value by 89% to QR561.92mn and transactions by 69% to 11,714.

The insurance sector’s trade volume grew more than five-fold to 0.57mn equities and value by about 10-fold to QR18.43mn on more than tripled deals to 205.

The transport sector’s trade volume more than quadrupled to 0.29mn stocks and value also more than quadrupled to QR6.47mn on almost tripled transactions to 174.

The telecom sector’s trade volume almost quadrupled to 0.64mn shares and value more than tripled to QR6.37mn on 73% increase in deals to 225.

The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume more than tripled to 5.79mn equities and value rose more than five-fold to QR229.39mn on more than doubled transactions to 1,783.

The consumer goods sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 1.54mn stocks, value increased 5% to QR100.14mn and deals by 60% to 1,617.

There was 78% surge in the realty sector’s trade volume to 3.89mn shares, 79% in value to QR35.3mn and 73% in transactions to 4,569.

The industrials sector’s trade volume expanded 24% to 6.44mn equities, value by 24% to QR165.82mn and deals by 36% to 3,141.

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

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