The Qatar Stock Exchange on Wednesday saw about 67% of the traded constituents extend gains; yet it settled almost flat.
The positive run in four of the seven sectors notwithstanding, the 20-stock Qatar Index settled at 10,519.21 points, having touched an intraday high of 10,571 points.
Foreign funds and Arab individuals were seen bullish and there was increased buying interests from the Gulf funds on the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 0.9%.
The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the other indices on the market, whose capitalisation saw about QR2bn or 0.26% shrinkage to QR607.67bn, mainly owing to small cap segments.
A total of 26,103 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan sponsored QATR and Doha Bank sponsored QETF) valued together at QR102,335 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, consumer goods and real estate sectors together accounted for more than 76% of the total trading volume.
The Total Return Index shrank 0.1% to 20,222.83 points, All Share Index by 0.19% to 3,225.24 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.03% to 2,407.18 points.
The industrials index declined 0.91%, telecom (0.53%) and banks and financial services (0.32%); whereas transport gained 1.2%, consumer goods and services (0.72%), realty (0.66%) and insurance (0.2%).
Major losers included Inma Holding, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Qatar Oman Investment, Industries Qatar, QNB, Ooredoo, QIIB, Qatar First Bank and Qatar National Cement; even as Qatari German Medical Devices, Mazaya Qatar, Alijarah Holding, Nakilat, Qatar Islamic Insurance and Dlala were among the gainers.
Domestic funds’ net selling increased considerably to QR15.36mn compared to QR7.07mn on December 8.
The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR4.65mn against net buyers of QR3.08mn the previous day.
The Gulf individuals were also net sellers to the extent of QR1.03mn compared with net buyers of QR1.35mn on Tuesday.
The foreign individuals’ net buying declined markedly to QR1.94mn against QR6.16mn on December 8.
Local individuals’ net buying eased noticeably to QR0.77mn compared to QR6.16mn the previous day.
However, foreign funds turned net buyers to the tune of QR13.35mn against net sellers of QR9.4mn on Tuesday.
The Arab individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR4.82mn compared with net sellers of QR0.27mn on December 8.
The Arab institutions’ net buying strengthened marginally to QR0.05mn against QR0.03mn the previous day.
Total trade volumes fell 12% to 196.36mn shares, value by 20% to QR430.51mn and transactions by 13% to 9,680.
The telecom sector’s trade volume plummeted 58% to 1.91mn equities, value by 65% to QR6.4mn and deals by 42% to 356.
The industrials sector saw 48% plunge in trade volume to 33.2mn stocks, 40% in value to QR42.65mn and 26% in transactions to 1,780.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 19% to 51.9mn shares, value by 37% to QR155.25mn and deals by 27% to 2,742.
However, the market witnessed 29% surge in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 57.8mn equities and 18% in value to QR93.39mn but on 6% dip in transactions to 1,858.
The insurance sector’s trade volume soared 28% to 2.2mn stocks and value by 30% to QR5.28mn, while deals were down 4% to 147.
The transport sector reported 20% expansion in trade volume to 9.01mn shares, 10% in value to QR38.19mn and 24% in transactions to 880.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume was up 12% to 40.34mn equities, value by 4% to QR89.21mn and deals by 24% to 1,917.
