The Islamic stocks outperformed the conventional ones on the Qatar Stock Exchange, which otherwise settled flat on Monday.
The foreign and Gulf funds turned net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled at 10,473.58 points, having touched an intraday high of 10,539 points.
The telecom, banking and real estate counters witnessed higher than average demand in the bourse, whose year-to-date gains were at 0.36%.
Foreign and Arab individuals were also seen increasingly into net buying in the market, which was largely skewed towards gainers.
About 62% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the bourse, whose capitalisation nevertheless saw about QR2bn, or 0.26%, decline to QR606.77bn, mainly dragged by small cap segments.
Trade turnover grew amidst flat volumes in the market, where the industrials and banking sectors together accounted for about 60% of the trading volume.
A total of 622,757 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored QATR) valued at QR1.48mn changed hands across 79 deals; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
The Total Return Index gained 0.36% to 20,207.81 points, the All Share Index by 0.37% to 3,227.95 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.62% to 2,388.54 points.
The telecom sector index shot up 0.95%, banks and financial services (0.8%) and realty (0.39%); while insurance declined 0.65%, industrials (0.3%), consumer goods and services (0.21%) and transport (0.1%).
Major gainers included Qatar National Cement, Aamal Company, QLM, Al Khaliji, Qatar Islamic Bank, QIIB, Qatar Oman Investment, Dlala, Inma Holding, Qatari German Medical Devices, Ezdan and Vodafone Qatar; even as Qatari Investors Group, QNB, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Milaha, Al Khaleej Takaful and Industries Qatar were among the losers.
The foreign institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR21.9mn against net sellers of QR16.34mn the previous day.
The Gulf institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR10.95mn compared with net sellers of QR12.41mn on January 31.
The foreign individuals’ net buying increased noticeably to QR10.76mn against QR2.09mn on Sunday.
The domestic funds’ net buying strengthened markedly to QR5.29mn compared to QR1.88mn the previous day.
The Arab individuals’ net buying expanded notably to QR2.85mn against QR0.15mn on January 31.
The Arab funds’ net buying was up marginally to QR0.18mn compared to QR0.02mn on Sunday.
The Gulf individuals’ net selling weakened perceptibly to QR1.33mn against QR2.88mn the previous day.
However, Qataris were net profit takers to the tune of QR50.54mn compared with net buyers of QR27.81mn on January 31.
Total trade volume was flat at 128.05mn shares, even as value grew 25% to QR380.29mn and transactions by 23% to 9,327.
The transport sector’s trade volume grew about six-fold to 5.77mn equities and value also by about six-fold to QR23.33mn on almost five-fold jump in deals to 572.
The realty sector’s trade volume soared 42% to 19.13mn stocks, value by 45% to QR36.5mn and transactions by 39% to 1,100.
The consumer goods and services sector saw a 24% surge in trade volume to 15.07mn shares but on 16% decline in value to QR33.4mn despite 3% higher deals at 827.
The telecom sector’s trade volume was up 4% to 6.79mn equities, value by 7% to QR15.15mn and deals by 15% to 576.
However, there was a 16% shrinkage in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 45.34mn stocks, 16% in value to QR66.28mn and 14% in transactions to 1,870.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 13% to 31.31mn shares, whereas value shot up 47% to QR190.65mn and deals by 42% to 4,103.
The market witnessed a 1% dip in the insurance sector’s trade volume to 4.63mn equities but on 27% growth in value to QR14.99mn amidst 6% lower transactions at 279.
 
 
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