The Qatar Stock Exchange on Tuesday witnessed sustained buying interests from local retail investors and in Islamic equities; but overall it settled mere five points higher.
The real estate saw higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.06% higher at 9,850.68 points, although it touched a high of 9,914 points intraday.
The foreign funds’ net selling weakened substantially in the market, whose year-to-date losses were at 5.51%.
Market capitalisation saw QR20mn or 0.04% jump to QR570.24bn, mainly owing to microcap segment.
A total of 77,325 exchange traded funds (both QATR and QETF) valued at QR214,902 changed hands across nine transactions; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
Trade turnover was flat amidst higher volumes in the market, where the industrials and realty sectors together accounted for more than 69% of the total trading volume.
The Total Return Index was up 0.06% to 18,937.6 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.52% to 2,288.7 points, while All Share Index fell 0.09% to 3,045.45 points.
The real estate index soared 3.31% and industrials (0.63%); while insurance declined 0.63%, banks and financial services (0.55%), telecom (0.49%), consumer goods and services (0.24%) and transport (0.08%).
Major gainers included Industries Qatar, Ezdan, Qamco, Investment Holding Group, United Development Company, Barwa, Alijarah Holding and Salam International Investment; even as Doha Insurance, Inma Holding, Medicare Group, Commercial Bank, Aamal Company, Doha Bank, QNB and Ooredoo were among the losers.
Local individuals’ net buying increased marginally to QR47.05mn compared to QR46.64mn on August 31.
Foreign funds’ net profit booking decreased significantly to QR39.81mn against QR69.76mn the previous day.
The Gulf institutions’ net selling plunged substantially to QR34.57mn compared to QR113.13mn on Monday.
The Arab funds were net buyers to the extent of QR0.09mn against no major exposure on August 31.
However, domestic institutions’ net buying fell significantly to QR22.49mn compared to QR117.03mn the previous day.
The Arab individuals’ net buying declined markedly to QR4.45mn against QR13.19mn on Monday.
Foreign individuals’ net buying also weakened notably to QR1.67mn compared to QR2.3mn on August 31.
The Gulf individuals turned net profit takers to the tune of QR1.27mn against net buyers of QR3.81mn the previous day.
Total trade volumes grew 39% to 565.77mn shares, while value was down less than 1% to QR794.71mn despite 11% higher transactions at 14,294.
The real estate sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 106.9mn equities and value more than doubled to QR180.08mn on 78% increase in deals to 2,937.
The industrials sector reported 85% surge in trade volume to 284.67mn stocks, 21% in value to QR244.3mn and 14% in transactions to 4,358.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume shot up 42% to 80.63 shares, whereas value eased 26% to QR228.46mn despite 5% higher deals at 3,598.
There was 24% jump in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 16.32mn equities, 38% in value to QR39.58mn and 72% in transactions to 1,209.
However, the consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume plummeted 44% to 66.96mn stocks, value by 45% to QR73.46mn and deals by 36% to 1,457.
The market witnessed 33% plunge in the insurance sector’s trade volume to 1.97mn shares, 33% in value to QR3.61mn and 47% in transactions to 94.
The transport sector’s trade volume tanked 26% to 8.31mn equities, value by 37% to QR25.22mn and deals by 15% to 641.
