The Qatar Stock Exchange on Tuesday witnessed domestic institutions turn bullish; yet it closed in the negative terrain.
The real estate, banking and telecom counters saw higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 16 points or 0.16% lower at 10,211.33 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,270 points.
Arab and foreign individuals turned bearish and there was lower buying interests from foreign institutions in the market, whose year-to-date losses were at 2.05%.
The Islamic stocks were seen declining faster than the main barometer on the bourse, which saw as much as 60% of the traded constituents were in the red.
Market capitalisation saw more than QR4bn or 0.72% decline to QR589.49bn, mainly owing to small and midcap segments.
A total of 25,177 exchange traded funds (both Masraf Al Rayan sponsored QATR and Doha Bank sponsored QETF) valued together at QR135,075 changed hands across four deals; 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 banks, realty and industrials sectors together accounted for about 63% of the total trading volume.
The Total Return Index lost 0.16% to 19,630.95 points, All Share Index by 0.46% to 3,153.05 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.23% to 2,324.15 points.
The real estate index tanked 1.14%, banks and financial services (0.67%), telecom (0.56%), industrials (0.22%) and consumer goods and services (0.2%); whereas transport and insurance gained 0.76% and 0.05% respectively.
Major decliners included Qatar First Bank, Qatari German Medical Devices, Alijarah Holding, Doha Insurance, Ezdan, QNB, Qatar Oman Investment, Inma Holding, Baladna, Qatari Investors Group, Aamal Company, Gulf International Services, Al Khaleej Takaful, Mazaya Qatar and Vodafone Qatar; even as Nakilat, Commercial Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Salam International Investment and Gulf Warehousing were among the gainers.
The Arab individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR8.77mn compared with net buyers of QR2.37mn on November 16.
Foreign individuals were also net sellers to the extent of QR4.11mn against net buyers of QR1.24mn the previous day.
Foreign funds’ net buying decreased substantially to QR13.83mn compared to QR55.04mn on Monday.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying also declined but marginally to QR1.04mn against QR1.18mn on November 16.
However, domestic funds turned net buyers to the tune of QR18.04mn compared with net sellers of QR13.53mn the previous day.
Local retail investors’ net selling weakened considerably to QR17.25mn against QR40.04mn on Monday.
The Gulf individuals’ net selling eased notably to QR2.83mn compared to QR6.2mn on November 16.
The Arab institutions continued to have no major exposure.
Total trade volumes fell 13% to 203.41mn shares, value by 12% to QR495.64mn and transactions by 11% to 10,539.
The real estate sector reported 47% plunge in trade volume to 43.77mn equities, 45% in value to QR67.57mn and 36% in deals to 1,474.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 17% to 42.53mn stocks, value by 7% to QR179.24mn and transactions by 9% to 3,391.
There was 16% shrinkage in the transport sector’s trade volume to 31.71mn shares, 9% in value to QR108.96mn and 26% in deals to 1,843.
However, the insurance sector’s trade volume soared 81% to 13.25mn equities, value by 80% to QR29.92mn and transactions by 28% to 418.
The telecom sector saw 38% surge in trade volume to 5.65mn stocks, 21% in value to QR15.58mn and 28% in deals to 626.
The industrials sector’s trade volume expanded 34% to 40.97mn shares, value by 20% to QR49.18mn and transactions by 16% to 1,728.
The market witnessed 30% jump in the consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume to 25.53mn equities but on 22% contraction in value to QR45.2mn despite 9% higher deals at 1,059.
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