The Qatar Stock Exchange on Tuesday witnessed strong buying interests in four of the seven sectors; yet its key barometer treaded a flat path.
Arab individuals were seen net buyers even as the 20-stock Qatar Index lay flat at 10,056.86 points, although it touched an intraday low of 10,018 points.
Selling pressure from local retail investors and domestic funds was seen weakening on the market, whose year-to-date losses remained at 3.54%.
Nevertheless, market capitalisation saw about QR2bn or 0.3% increase to QR599.25bn, mainly owing to microcap segments.
A total of 40,560 exchange traded funds (both Masraf Al Rayan sponsored QATR and Doha Bank sponsored QETF) valued at QR396,034 changed hands across six transactions; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the increase on the bourse, where the industrials and real estate sectors together accounted for about 67% of the total trading volume.
The Total Return Index was down less than 1% to 19,333.99 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.03% to 2,367.14 points; while All Share Index rose 0.01% to 3,112.92 points.
The insurance index shot up 2.85%, realty (0.8%), telecom (0.68%) and transport (0.41%); while industrials declined 0.57%, consumer goods and services (0.46%) and banks and financial services (0.06%).
Major movers included Dlala, Qatar Insurance, Ezdan, Ahlibank Qatar, Doha Bank, Qamco, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Vodafone Qatar and Gulf Warehousing; even as Salam International Investment, Doha Insurance, Investment Holding, Qatar First Bank, Qatar Oman Investment, Inma Holding, Zad Holding, Industries Qatar, Gulf International Services and Qatar Electricity and Water were among the losers.
The Arab individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR5.84mn compared with net sellers of QR4.13mn on October 12.
Local individuals’ net selling declined substantially to QR20.02mn against QR41.11mn the previous day.
Domestic funds’ net selling also eased significantly to QR0.91mn compared to QR21.29mn on Monday.
Foreign individuals’ net profit booking shrank notably to QR1.39mn against QR3.96mn on October 12.
However, foreign funds’ net buying weakened considerably to QR14.95mn compared to QR59.11mn the previous day.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying also decreased perceptibly to QR1.1mn against QR6.37mn on Monday.
The Gulf individuals’ net buying contracted markedly to QR0.34mn compared to QR4.97mn on October 12.
The Arab institutions continued to have no major exposure.
Total trade volumes rose 10% to 252.57mn shares, value by 14% to QR479.05mn and transactions by 7% to 9,042.
The real estate sector’s trade volume almost tripled to 72.4mn equities and value more than tripled to QR148.85mn on 75% increase in deals to 2,087.
The consumer goods and services sector reported 6% jump in trade volume to 34.41mn stocks, 19% in value to QR68.11mn and 4% in transactions to 1,425.
The insurance sector’s trade volume was up 2% to 7.23mn shares, value by 2% to QR15.7mn and deals by 19% to 424.
However, there was a 45% plunge in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 2.68mn equities, 46% in value to QR6.73mn and 45% in transactions to 273.
The transport sector’s trade volume plummeted 31% to 8.03mn stocks and value by 6% to QR30.85mn, while deals more than doubled to 746.
The industrials sector saw 13% shrinkage in trade volume to 95.99mn shares and 12% in value to QR99.11mn but on 5% growth in transactions to 2,340.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 11% to 31.83mn equities, value by 23% to QR109.69mn and deals by 28% to 1,747.

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