Domestic institutions on Monday turned bullish in the Qatar Stock Exchange, which otherwise declined more than 48 points.

Gulf individuals and Arab funds were seen bullish even as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.46% lower at 10,445 points.

Six of the seven sectors were under a bearish spell in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 0.09%.

About 62% of the traded constituents were in the red on the bourse, whose capitalisation saw more than QR3bn, or 0.58%, decrease to QR603.33bn, mainly owing to small cap segments.

The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the other indices in the bourse, which saw the local retail investors’ increased net selling pressure.

Trade turnover and volumes were on the increase in the market, where the banking and industrials sectors together accounted for about 70% of the trading volume.

A total of 92,777 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored QATR and Doha Bank-sponsored QETF) valued at QR380,347 changed hands across 12 deals; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.

The Total Return Index fell 0.46% to 20,152.66 points, the All Share Index by 0.54% to 3,212.51 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.38% to 2,386.88 points.

The consumer goods and services index declined 0.75%, followed by banks and financial services (0.73%), transport (0.55%), telecom (0.41%), insurance (0.27%) and industrials (0.17%); whereas real estate was up 0.05%.

Major losers included Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Al Khaleej Takaful, Qatar First Bank, QNB, Doha Bank, Mannai Corporation, Baladna, Qamco and Vodafone Qatar; even as Gulf International Services, Al Khaliji, Ahlibank Qatar, United Development Bank, Qatari German Medical Devices and Qatar Insurance were among the gainers.

Local retail investors’ net selling increased considerably to QR31.34mn against QR20.16mn on February 7.

Arab individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR1.87mn compared with net buyers of QR0.07mn the previous day.

Foreign individuals’ net profit booking grew perceptibly to QR0.81mn against QR0.24mn on Sunday.

Foreign institutions’ net buying declined significantly to QR1.69mn compared to QR13.14mn on February 7.

However, domestic funds’ net buying shot up substantially to QR37mn against QR17.34mn the previous day.

Gulf individuals turned net buyers to the extent of QR0.62mn compared with net sellers of QR1.25mn on Sunday.

Arab institutions were net buyers to the tune of QR0.44mn against no major exposure on February 7.

Gulf institutions were net profit booking eased notably to QR5.77mn compared to QR8.91mn the previous day.

Total trade volume rose 54% to 147.24mn shares, value by 56% to QR367.4mn and transactions by 65% to 8,911.

The industrials sector’s trade volume almost tripled to 50.96mn equities and value more than tripled to QR81.62mn on more-than- doubled transactions to 2,091.

The insurance sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 6.17mn stocks and value also more than doubled to QR18.92mn on a 37% increase in deals to 362.

The banks and financial services sector reported a 43% surge in trade volume to 51.4mn stocks, value by 71% to QR183.32mn and transactions by 66% to 3,614.

The transport sector’s trade volume shot up 16% to 2.93mn shares, while value fell 3% to QR11.58mn despite almost doubled deals to 345.

There was a 14% expansion in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 4.69mn equities but on a 17% decline in value to QR15.88mn despite more than doubled transactions to 850.

The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume was up 3% to 18.27mn shares, whereas value shrank 14% to QR32.35mn despite 9% higher deals at 887.

However, the realty sector saw a 17% contraction in trade volume to 12.82mn equities and 6% in value to QR23.73n but on 7% jump in transactions to 762.

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