The Gulf institutions were on Monday seen net profit takers in the Qatar Stock Exchange, which closed 41 points lower, amid heightened trading.
Telecom and industrials counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index fell 0.4% to 10,222.18 points.
The Gulf individuals were also seen net sellers and there were wakened buying interests of non-Qatari retail investors in the market, which is down 0.75% year-to-date.
Market capitalisation saw more than QR2bn or 0.37% decline to QR566bn mainly owing to microcap segments.
Islamic stocks were seen declining faster than the other indices in the market, where domestic funds were increasingly net buyers.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the increase in the bourse, where banking and industrials sectors together accounted for about 65% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index fell 0.4% to 18,809.68 points, All Share Index by 0.3% to 3,019.81 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.53% to 2,300.18 points.
The telecom index shrank 1.69%, industrials (1.2%), consumer goods (0.34%) and transport (0.16%); while real estate gained 0.05%, banks and financial services (0.04%) and insurance (0.01%).
Major losers included Ooredoo, Qatar National Cement, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Industries Qatar, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qatar Electricity and Water, QIIB, Commercial Bank and Salam International Investment; even as Gulf Warehousing, Qatar Oman Investment, Qatar Islamic Bank, Aamal Company, Barwa and Ezdan were among the gainers.
The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.78mn against net buyers of QR11.81mn on December 15.
The Gulf individuals were also net sellers to the extent of QR0.39mn compared with net buyers of QR0.42mn on Sunday.
Non-Qatari individuals’ net buying declined marginally to QR1.57mn against QR1.85mn the previous day.
However, domestic funds’ net buying increased considerably to QR16.38mn compared to QR9.48mn on December 15.
Local retail investors’ net profit booking eased significantly to QR8.09mn against QR12.69mn on Sunday.
Non-Qatari institutions’ net selling also weakened perceptibly to QR8.7mn compared to QR10.91mn the previous day.
Total trade volume grew 33% to 62.27mn shares, value by 62% to QR204.3mn and transactions by 61% to 7,871.
The transport sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 2.9mn equities and value more than tripled to QR10.58mn on more than doubled deals to 330.
The telecom sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 2.26mn stocks and value also more than doubled to QR10.48mn on more than doubled transactions to 599.
There was 81% surge in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 18.19mn shares to more than double value to QR36.74mn on 88% increase in deals to 1,634.
The real estate sector’s trade volume soared 68% to 8.92mn equities, value by 80% to QR11.74mn and transactions by 11% to 350.
The insurance sector reported 44% increase in trade volume to 1.17mn stocks and 52% in value to QR3.28mn on more than doubled deals to 184.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume shot up 27% to 21.94mn shares, value by 62% to 116.05mn and transactions by 95% to 3,841.
However, the consumer goods sector saw 40% plunge in trade volume to 6.78mn equities, 23% in value to QR15.43mn and 54% in deals to 587.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and sovereign bonds.
