The Insurance, banking and industrial equities on Sunday ended two days of bullish run on Qatar Stock Exchange, which fell more than 46 points, even as its 20-stock index remained in the positive terrain year-to-date.
Foreign institutions’ weakened buying interests largely resulted in the 20-stock Qatar Index to settle 0.45% lower at 10,317.05 points, although gainers outnumbered decliners.
However, local and non-Qatari retail investors turned bullish in the market, whose key benchmark is up 0.18% year-to-date.
Market capitalisation saw about QR3bn, or 0.49%, decline to QR569.54bn mainly owing to mid and small cap segments.
Islamic equities were seen declining slower than the other indices in the market, where domestic funds continued to be net profit takers but with lesser intensity.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the fall in the bourse, where the banking and real estate sectors together accounted for about 69% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index shrank 0.45% to 19,984.24 points, the All Share Index by 0.46% to 3,041.52 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.23% to 2,318.02 points.
The insurance index fell 0.82%, banks and financial services (0.67%), industrials (0.49%) and transport (0.09%); while realty rose 0.5%, telecom (0.42%) and consumer goods (0.09%).
Major shakers included QNB, Qatar Islamic Bank, QIIB, Masraf Al Rayan, Industries Qatar, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qatar Insurance, Nakilat and Gulf Warehousing; whereas Commercial Bank, Doha Bank, Alijarah Holding, Dlala, Medicare Group, Mannai Corporation, Qatari Investors Group, Ezdan, United Development Company, Ooredoo and Milaha were among the gainers.
Non-Qatari institutions’ net buying declined substantially to QR2.86mn compared to QR56.95mn on November 14.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying also fell perceptibly to QR3.11mn against QR6.33mn the previous trading day.
The Gulf individuals’ net buying weakened marginally to QR0.28mn compared to QR1.64mn last Thursday.
However, non-Qatari individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR3.18mn against net sellers of QR2.25mn on November 14.
Local retail investors were also net buyers to the extent of QR1.06mn compared with net sellers of QR28.29mn the previous day.
Domestic funds’ net profit booking eroded considerably to QR10.5mn against QR34.4mn last Thursday.
Total trade volume fell 42% to 38.07mn shares, value by 60% to QR98.82mn and transactions by 49% to 3,086.
The transport sector reported an 87% plunge in trade volume to 0.55mn equities, 87% in value to QR1.8mn and 84% in deals to 94.
The consumer goods sector’s trade volume plummeted 54% to 2.66mn stocks, value by 11% to QR16.27mn and transactions by 35% to 402.
There was a 52% shrinkage in the industrials’ sector’s trade volume to 5.36mn shares, 58% in value to QR10.57mn and 42% in deals to 612.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 48% to 14.12mn equities, value by 69% to QR48.58mn and transactions by 50% to 1,249.
The market witnessed a 39% contraction in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 1.69mn stocks, 36% in value to QR6.55mn and 52% in deals to 257.
The insurance’s sector’s trade volume shrank 17% to 1.59mn shares, value by 25% to QR4.69mn and transactions by 50% to 113.
The real estate sector saw a 2% dip in trade volume to 12.1mn equities, 21% in value to QR10.37mn and 40% in deals to 349.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and sovereign bonds.
