Local retail investors were seen exerting bullish pressure on the Qatar Stock Exchange, which otherwise settled marginally lower.
The insurance, real estate and consumer goods counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index overall lost a mere 0.05% to 10,534.69 points, having recovered from an intraday low of 10,454 points.
Foreign institutions’ net buying interests were seen weakening on the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 1.05%.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline on the bourse, where the realty, banking and industrials sectors together accounted for about 80% of the total trading volume.
Islamic equities were seen declining relatively faster than the conventional ones on the market, whose capitalisation, nevertheless, saw QR43mn or 0.07% jump to QR607.57bn, mainly on microcap segments.
A total of 2,000 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan sponsored QATR) valued at QR4,750 changed hands across one deal; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
The Total Return Index was down 0.05% to 20,252.6 points, All Share Index by 0.03% to 3,225.37 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.07% to 2,406.93 points.
The insurance index shrank 0.66%, realty (0.53%), consumer goods and services (0.5%), banks and financial services (0.17%), telecom (0.17%) and transport (0.14%); whereas industrials gained 0.86%.
Major losers included Medicare Group, Al Meera, Qatar Islamic Bank, United Development Company, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding and Al Khaleej Takaful; even as Gulf International Services, Qatari German Medical Devices, Baladna, Qatar Oman Investment, Masraf Al Rayan, Alijarah Holding, Dlala, Industries Qatar and Mazaya Qatar were among the gainers.
The domestic institutions’ net selling increased substantially to QR26.39mn against QR10.82mn on December 21.
The Gulf individuals were net sellers to the tune of QR1.56mn compared with net buyers of QR2.46mn the previous day.
The foreign institutions’ net buying declined considerably to QR14.72mn against QR76.18mn on Monday.
However, Qataris turned net buyers to the extent of QR16.82mn compared with net sellers of QR17.78mn on December 21.
The Arab institutions were also net buyers to the tune of QR0.34mn against net sellers of QR0.39mn the previous day.
The Gulf institutions’ net selling shrank significantly to QR0.43mn compared to QR24.29mn on Monday.
The Arab individuals’ net profit booking fell notably to QR2.39mn against QR21.7mn on December 21.
The foreign individuals’ net selling weakened markedly to QR1.2mn compared to QR3.72mn the previous day.
Total trade volumes fell 49% to 155.71mn shares, value by 50% to QR332.36mn and transactions by 36% to 8,893.
The industrials sector’s trade volume plummeted 62% to 44.92mn equities, value by 65% to QR63.33mn and deals by 48% to 1,665.
The banks and financial services sector saw 51% plunge in trade volume to 34.47mn stocks, 58% in value to QR108.77mn and 50% in transactions to 2,542.
The insurance sector’s trade volume tanked 51% to 1.29mn shares, value by 50% to QR2.91mn and deals by 29% to 156.
There was 41% shrinkage in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 33.54mn equities, 37% in value to QR53.55mn and 18% in transactions to 1,528.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume shrank 33% to 28.83mn stocks, value by 28% to QR59.06mn and deals by 18% to 1,472.
The transport sector reported 16% contraction in trade volume to 4.81mn shares, 11% in value to QR18.5mn and 29% in transactions to 474.
However, the telecom sector’s trade volume gained 16% to 7.85mn equities, whereas value was down 9% to QR26.24mn and deals by less than 1% to 1,056.
