The Qatar Stock Exchange on Wednesday closed the week weak, mainly dragged by the real estate, industrials and consumer goods sectors.
Foreign funds were net buyers but with considerably lesser vigour as the 20-stock Qatar Index lost 0.12% to 10,119.69 points, although it touched an intraday low of 10,056 points.
The Gulf individuals’ weakened net buying also had its dampening role in the market, whose year-to-date losses were at 2.93%.
The Islamic stocks were seen declining faster than the main barometer in the bourse, which saw about 69% of the traded constituents extend losses to investors.
Market capitalisation saw more than QR1bn, or 0.18%, fall to QR588.11bn, mainly owing to microcap segments.
A total of 33,420 exchange traded funds (both Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored QATR and Doha Bank-sponsored QETF) valued together at QR153,430 changed hands across seven deals; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the bourse, where the industrials and realty sectors together accounted for about 65% of the total trading volume.
The Total Return Index was down 0.12% to 19,454.78 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.74% to 2,323.3 points, while the All Share Index rose 0.06% to 3,126.61 points.
The realty index shrank 1.41%, industrials (1.21%), consumer goods and services (0.59%) and insurance (0.36%); while transport shot up 5.33%, banks and financial services (0.24%) and telecom (0.16%).
Major shakers included Ezdan, Al Khaliji, Aamal Company, Industries Qatar, Mazaya Qatar, Qamco, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Doha Bank, Alijarah Holding, Qatar Oman Investment, Qatari German Medical Devices, Salam International Investment and Medicare Group; even as Nakilat, Dlala, QNB, Gulf International Services and Qatar First Bank were among the gainers.
Foreign funds’ net buying weakened substantially to QR61.69mn compared to QR126.63mn on November 10.
The Gulf individuals’ net buying also eased perceptibly to QR1.18mn against QR4.14mn the previous day.
However, domestic funds’ net buying increased considerably to QR28.2mn compared to QR5.69mn on Tuesday.
The Arab individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR4.89mn against net sellers of QR13.05mn on November 10.
The Arab institutions’ net buying grew markedly to QR2.65mn compared to QR0.01mn the previous day.
Qatari individuals’ net selling declined significantly to QR94.54mn against QR127.98mn on Tuesday.
The Gulf funds’ net profit booking eased noticeably to QR0.77mn compared to QR10.15mn on November 10.
Foreign individuals’ net selling weakened marginally to QR3.36mn against QR4.35mn the previous day.
Total trade volumes fell 53% to 278.53mn shares, value by 43% to QR588.64mn and transactions by 38% to 11,551.
The real estate sector’s trade volume plummeted 69% to 69.57mn equities, value by 70% to QR101.15mn and deals by 58% to 1,934.
The telecom sector reported a 64% plunge in trade volume to 5.04mn stocks, 65% in value to QR9.79mn and 50% in transactions to 459.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume tanked 64% to 25.87mn shares, value by 74% to QR39.29mn and deals by 66% to 998.
There was a 61% shrinkage in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 60.85mn equities, 52% in value to QR74.98mn and 40% in transactions to 2,200.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume shrank 56% to 40.05mn stocks, value by 50% to QR142.42mn and deals by 37% to 3,207.
The insurance sector saw a 30% contraction in trade volume to 8.14mn shares, value by 31% to QR14.56mn and transactions by 49% to 208.
However, transport sector’s trade volume more than tripled to 69.01mn equities and value more than tripled to QR206.44mn on more than doubled deals to 2,545.
