Local retail investors’ strong penchant for equities on Thursday drove the Qatar Stock Exchange up 25 points.

A higher than average demand for the banking and real estate sectors led the 20-stock Qatar Index settle 0.25% higher at 9,836.2 points, although it touched a low of 9,785 points intraday.

Foreign funds were seen bullish albeit at lower levels on the market, whose year-to-date losses were contained at 5.65%.

Market capitalisation saw about QR3bn or 0.46% jump to QR573.26bn, mainly owing to mid and small cap segments.

A total of 221,440 exchange traded funds (both QATR and QETF) valued at QR503,066 changed hands across eight transactions; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.

Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline on the bourse, where the industrials and real estate sectors together accounted for more than 72% of the total trading volume.

The Total Return Index was up 0.25% to 18,909.8 points, Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.26% to 2,285.2 points and All Share Index by 0.29% to 3,045.12 points.

The banks and financial services index gained 0.52%, realty (0.43%) and industrials (0.16%); while telecom shrank 0.43%, transport (0.33%), insurance (0.22%) and consumer goods and services (0.12%).

About 49% of the traded constituents extended gains with major movers being Ezdan, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Qatar Oman Investment, Dlala, Barwa, QNB and Qatar Islamic Bank; even as United Development Company, Baladna, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Alijarah Holding, Inma Holding, Ooredoo and Nakilat were among the losers.

Local individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR32.1mn compared with net sellers of QR0.65mn on September 2.

Foreign funds were also net buyers to the extent of QR2.54mn against net sellers of QR36.52mn the previous day.

The Gulf individuals’ net selling decreased notably to QR1.08mn compared to QR3.62mn on Wednesday.

However, the Gulf funds’ net selling increased significantly to QR46.97mn against QR33.67mn on September 2.

Domestic funds’ net buying eased considerably to QR7.29mn compared to QR54.4mn the previous day.

The Arab individuals’ net buying weakened markedly to QR3.03mn against QR11.64mn on Wednesday.

Foreign individuals’ net buying also eased perceptibly to QR2.54mn compared to QR8.43mn on September 2.

The Arab funds continued to have no major exposure.

Total trade volumes fell 25% to 284.01mn shares, value by 18% to QR489.3mn and transactions by 11% to 10,843.

The transport sector reported 47% plunge in trade volume to 5.32mn equities, 40% in value to QR17.39mn and 44% in deals to 404.

The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume plummeted 41% to 26.73mn stocks, value by 31% to QR51.05mn and 24% in transactions to 1,161.

The real estate sector’s trade volume tanked 32% to 76.69mn shares, value by 32% to QR117.17mn and deals by 14% to 2,123.

The industrials sector saw 22% shrinkage in trade volume to 128.13mn equities, 28% in value to QR122.61mn and 37% in transactions to 2,411.

The telecom sector’s trade volume shrank 15% to 6.09mn stocks, whereas value expanded 11% to QR21.91mn and deals by 24% to 1,128.

However, the insurance sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 4.14mn shares and value almost doubled to QR6.63mn on almost tripled transactions to 251.

The banks and financial services sector saw 5% jump in trade volume to 36.91 equities, 21% in value to QR152.54mn and 24% in deals to 3,365.