The Qatar Stock Exchange opened the week with a 161-point gain owing to strong buying especially in industrials, telecom and insurance equities.
Non-Qatari institutions turned net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index added 1.67% to 9,782.25 points.
More than 65% of the traded constituents extended gains in the market, whose key benchmark is 5.02% lower year-to-date.
Market capitalisation expanded more than QR8bn, or 1.58%, to QR537.8bn mainly owing to large and midcap segments.
Islamic equities were seen gaining slower than the other indices in the market, where domestic and Gulf funds turned net sellers.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the bourse, where the banking and industrials sectors together accounted for more than 53% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index gained 1.67% to 18,000.17 points, the All Share Index by 1.49% to 2,881.12 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 1.06% to 2,234.86 points.
The industrials index soared 2.22%, followed by telecom (2.2%), insurance (1.78%), banks and financial services (1.54%), transport (0.98%), real estate (0.82%) and consumer goods (0.09%).
Major gainers included Industries Qatar, Gulf International Services, Ooredoo, Commercial Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, QNB, Masraf Al Rayan, Dlala, Al Khaleej Holding, Qatar Insurance, Nakilat, Mazaya Qatar and Ezdan.
Non-Qatari institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR4.32mn against net sellers of QR48.75mn on August 15.
However, domestic institutions were net sellers to the extent of QR0.26mn compared with net buyers of QR24.59mn last Thursday.
Local retail investors’ net buying declined considerably to QR0.35mn against QR23.62mn the previous trading day.
Non-Qatari individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.94mn compared with net buyers of QR0.13mn on August 15.
Gulf institutions were also net sellers to the extent of QR1.64mn against net buyers of QR0.69mn last Thursday.
Gulf individuals’ net profit booking expanded noticeably to QR1.84mn compared to QR0.32mn the previous trading day.
Total trade volume fell 29% to 43.04mn shares, value by 60% to QR85.73mn and transaction by 58% to 3,640.
The real estate sector saw a 53% plunge in trade volume to 5.33mn equities, 50% in value to QR6.37mn and 59% in deals to 262.
The transport sector’s trade volume plummeted 52% to 2.1mn stocks, value by 58% to QR5.46mn and transactions by 60% to 191.
There was a 50% decline in the banks and financial services’ trade volume to 11.62mn shares, 79% in value to QR22.09mn and 64% in deals to 917.
The telecom sector’s trade volume shrank 28% to 2.68mn equities, value by 27% to QR7.27mn and transactions by 49% to 376.
The insurance sector reported a 26% contraction in trade volume to 2.28mn stocks, 24% in value to QR5.89mn and 44% in deals to 378.
The industrials sector’s trade volume was down 10% to 11.26mn shares, value by 35% to QR30.27mn and transactions by 61% to 1,281.
However, the consumer goods’ trade volume more than tripled to 7.78mn equities but on a 61% slippage in value to QR8.38mn and 30% in deals to 235.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and sovereign bonds.
