The Qatar Stock Exchange on Sunday witnessed five of the seven sectors reel under selling pressure, but overall it settled marginally higher.

The gains within the consumer goods and industrial sectors helped the 20-stock Qatar Index settle 0.07% higher at 10,196.13 points.

Foreign institutions’ net profit booking weakened substantially on the market, whose key benchmark is down 1% year-to-date.

Market capitalisation saw 0.05% or QR27mn to QR563.7bn mainly owing to microcap segments.

Islamic equities were however seen declining vis-à-vis gains in the main index on the market, where the local retail investors and domestic funds continued to be bullish but with lesser vigour.

Trade turnover declined amidst higher volumes on the bourse, where banking sector alone accounted for more than 51% of the total volume.

The Total Return Index was up 0.07% to 18,761.74 points, while All Share Index was down 0.04% to 3,006.58 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.12% to 2,295.26 points.

The consumer goods and industrials indices gained 0.56% and 0.24% respectively; while transport declined 1.27%, real estate (0.65%), telecom (0.6%), insurance (0.17%) and banks and financial services (0.01%).

Major gainers included Qatar First Bank, Ezdan, Dlala, Woqod, Qatar Electricity and Water, Industries Qatar, Gulf International Services and Doha Insurance; whereas Qatari German Company for Medical Devices, Medicare Group, Qatari Investors Group, Aamal Company, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, United Development Company, Barwa, Vodafone Qatar, Gulf Warehousing and Milaha were among the losers.

Non-Qatari funds’ net selling declined significantly to QR1.66mn compared to QR22.1mn on October 31.

The Gulf individuals were net buyers to the tune of QR0.24mn against net profit takers of QR2.19mn the previous trading day.

However, the Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the extent of QR4.14mn compared with net buyers of QR2.73mn last Thursday.

Non-Qatari individuals were also net sellers to the tune of QR0.38mn against net buyers of QR4.29mn on October 31.

Local retail investors’ net buying weakened perceptibly to QR2.66mn compared to QR9.64mn the previous trading day.

Domestic institutions’ net buying also shrank influentially to QR3.29mn against QR7.66mn last Thursday.

Total trade volume rose 59% to 131.43mn shares, while value fell 60% to QR118.75mn and transactions by 44% to 3,227.

The consumer goods sector’s trade volume more than doubled to16.16mn equities, while there 39% shrinkage in value to QR18.64mn and 41% in deals to 666.

The real estate sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 27.72mn stocks, value soared 25% to QR18.53mn and transactions by 87% to 508.

The telecom sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 6.95mn shares and value was up 2% to QR11.31mn, while deals declined 40% to 247.

The banks and financial services sector saw 84% surge in trade volume to 67.24mn equities but on 72% plunge in value to QR48.08mn and 53% in transactions to 1,151.

However, the insurance sector’s trade volume plummeted 80% to 0.85mn stocks, value by 84% to QR2.16mn and deals by 78% to 83.

The transport sector reported 69% contraction in trade volume to 1.2mn shares, 59% in value to QR5.27mn and 70% in transactions to 89.

The industrials sector’s trade volume tanked 37% to 11.34mn equities, value by 68% to QR14.75mn and deals by 45% to 756.

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


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