Strong buying interests, especially within Islamic equities, Sunday helped the Qatar Stock Exchange soft land in the negative turf.
Gulf institutions’ increased net buying and foreign funds’ weakened net selling pressure rather limited the decline in the 20-stock index, which settled a mere 0.13% lower at 10,253.64 points.
Both local and non-Qatari retail investors continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity on the market, whose key benchmark is down 0.44% year-to-date.
Market capitalisation saw QR37mn or 0.07% decline to QR566.39bn mainly owing to microcap segments.
Realty, transport and consumer goods sectors witnessed higher than average selling pressure on the market, where domestic institutions turned net profit takers.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline on the bourse, where industrials and banking sectors together accounted for about 69% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index declined 0.13% to 18,867.38 points and All Share Index by 0.05% to 3,027.94 points, while Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) grew 0.12% to 2,311.28 points.
The telecom index declined 0.62%, industrials (0.2%), insurance (0.18%) and banks and financial services (0.09%); whereas real estate, transport and consumer goods gained 0.49%, 0.46% and 0.29% respectively.
Major losers included Commercial Bank, Alijarah Holding, Qatari Investors Group, Aamal Company, Gulf International Services, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Qatar Insurance, Vodafone Qatar and Ooredoo; even as QIIB, Medicare Group, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, United Development Company, Mazaya Qatar, Gulf Warehousing and Nakilat were among the gainers.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying increased noticeably to QR3.21mn compared to QR1.31mn on November 21.
The Gulf individual investors were net buyers to the tune of QR1.03mn against net sellers of QR0.55mn last Thursday.
Non-Qatari institutions’ net selling weakened considerably to QR6.87mn compared to QR29.3mn the previous trading day.
However, domestic funds turned net sellers to the extent of QR5.85mn against net buyers of QR7.84mn on November 21.
Local retail investors’ net buying weakened significantly to QR5.05mn compared to QR11.27mn last Thursday.
Non-Qatari individuals’ net buying weakened noticeably to QR3.21mn against QR9.44mn the previous trading day.
Total trade volume fell 19% to 38.68mn shares, value by 44% to QR128.88mn and transactions by 17% to 4,526.
The insurance sector’s trade volume plummeted 60% to 1.07mn equities, value by 54% to QR3mn and deals by 31% to 129.
There was 59% plunge in the consumer goods sector’s trade volume to 1.19mn stocks, 68% in value to QR9.5mn and 58% in transactions to 296.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 38% to 11.8mn shares, value by 53% to QR67.98mn and deals by 18% to 2,101.
The transport sector saw 20% shrinkage in trade volume to 1.46mn equities and 9% in value to QR5.65mn but on 29% growth in transactions to 183.
The real estate sector’s trade volume was down 3% to 5.1mn stocks, value by 21% to QR6.42mn and deals by 6% to 288.
However, the market witnessed 32% surge in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 3.36mn shares but on 25% contraction in value to QR7.76mn and 38% in transactions to 334.
The industrials’ sector’s trade volume grew 7% to 14.7mn equities, value by 12% to QR28.57mn and deals by 14% to 1,195.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and sovereign bonds.
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