Domestic institutions and foreign individuals were increasingly net buyers on the Qatar Stock Exchange, which closed in the positive trajectory, albeit at lower levels.

The telecom and consumer goods and services counters witnessed higher-than-average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled mere 0.03% higher at 10,459.94 points, having recovered from an intraday low of 10,418 points.

Gulf institutions were seen bullish on the bourse, whose year-to-date gains were at 0.23%.

Foreign funds continued to be net sellers, but with lesser intensity on the market, whose capitalisation saw QR59mn or 0.1% decrease to QR602.99bn, mainly owing to microcap segments.

The Islamic index was seen gaining faster than the main barometer on the bourse, which saw Arab individuals increasingly into net profit booking.

Trade turnover and volumes were on the decrease on the market, where the industrials and banking sectors together accounted for about 66% of the trading volume.

A total of 16,050 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan sponsored QATR and Doha Bank sponsored QETF) valued at QR74,271 changed hands across four deals; while on the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.

The Total Return Index was up 0.03% to 20,181.49points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.05% to 2,405.79 points, while All Share Index declined 0.06% to 3,212.57 points.

The telecom sector index gained 0.43% and consumer goods and services (0.17%); whereas real estate declined 0.52%, insurance (0.3%), banks and financial services (0.09%), transport (0.03%) and industrials (0.01%).

Major gainers included Qamco, Commercial Bank, Qatari German Medical Devices, Investment Holding Group, Doha Bank, Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar.

Nevertheless, about 49% of the traded constituents were in the red with major losers being Gulf Warehousing, Qatari Investors Group, Dlala, QNB, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, QIIB, Al Khaliji and Gulf International Services.

Domestic institutions’ net buying increased noticeably to QR18.27mn against QR12.65mn the previous day.

Foreign individuals’ net buying strengthened markedly to QR4.36mn compared to QR1.54mn on Monday.

Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR3.65mn against net sellers of QR13.4mn on February 15.

However, Qatari investors’ net selling increased perceptibly to QR21.64mn compared to QR12.65mn the previous day.

Arab individuals’ net selling also rose notably to QR4.39mn against QR2.92mn on Monday.

Gulf individuals’ net profit booking grew marginally to QR0.8mn compared to QR0.21mn on February 15.

Foreign institutions’ net buying eased significantly to QR0.44mn against QR16.95mn the previous day.

Arab institutions’ net buying weakened marginally to QR0.13mn compared to QR0.28mn on Monday.

Total trade volume fell 40% to 97.14mn shares, value by 34% to QR274.26mn and transactions by 20% to 6,329.

There was 66% plunge in the insurance sector’s trade volume to 3.23mn equities, 58% in value to QR10.05mn and 51% in deals to 281.

The telecom sector’s trade volume plummeted 53% to 2.95mn stocks, value by 59% to QR14.81mn and transactions by 54% to 565.

The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 43% to 21.13mn shares, value by 30% to QR110.2mn and deals by 6% to 1,849.

The market witnessed 43% shrinkage in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 42.6mn equities, 43% in value to QR60.73mn and 28% in transactions to 1,858.

The realty sector’s trade volume shrank 30% to 6.91mn stocks, value by 20% to QR14.97n and deals by 14% to 487.

The consumer goods and services sector saw 18% contraction in trade volume to 16.14mn shares and 8% in value to QR45.44mn but on 10% jump in transactions to 823.

The transport sector’s trade volume was down 10% to 4.19mn equities and value by 28% to QR18.23mn; whereas transactions shot up 76% to 466.

 
Related Story