Strong buying – especially in the real estate, industrials and transport counters Sunday drove the Qatar Stock Exchange up more than 23 points and place its key barometer near the 10,200 levels.
The domestic funds were increasingly net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.23% higher at 10,191.56 points, having touched an intraday high of 10,200 points.
The foreign individuals were increasingly net buyers in the bourse, whose year-to-date losses were contained at 2.34%.
The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices in the market, whose capitalisation saw about QR3bn or 0.46% increase to QR593.67bn, mainly owing to midcap segments.
The weakened net selling pressure from the Gulf and Arab individuals also had its role in the bourse, where the industrials and real estate sectors together accounted for more than 59% of the total trading volume.
A total of 35,532 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan sponsored QATR and Doha Bank sponsored QETF) valued at QR282,355 changed hands across seven deals; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
The Total Return Index rose 0.23% to 20,161.3 points, All Share Index by 0.08% to 3,240.83 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.11% to 2,365.78 points.
The realty index shot up 1.25%, industrials (0.8%) and transport (0.31%); even as consumer goods and services declined 0.79%, insurance (0.53%), telecom (0.15%) and banks and financial services (0.12%).
About 57% of the traded constituents extended gains with major movers being Ezdan, Qatar First Bank, Dlala, Qatari Investors Group, Qatar Oman Investment, Commercial Bank, al khaliji, Inma Holding, Industries Qatar, QLM and Mazaya Qatar; even as Doha Insurance, Qatar National Cement, Al Khaleej Takaful, Mannai Corporation, Woqod and Vodafone Qatar were among the losers.
The domestic funds’ net buying increased substantially to QR22.62mn against QR1.86mn on March 25.
The foreign individuals’ net buying grew perceptibly to QR1.21mn compared to QR0.36mn the previous day.
The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking decreased considerably to QR0.73mn against QR14.05mn last Thursday.
The Arab individuals’ net selling also weakened notably to QR0.66mn compared to QR4.17mn on March 25.
However, local retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR25.73mn against net buyers of QR4.26mn the previous day.
The foreign institutions’ net buying shrank markedly to QR4.43mn compared to QR12.28mn last Thursday.
The Gulf institutions’ net selling increased marginally to QR1.1mn against QR0.41mn on March 25.
The Arab funds had no major net exposure compared with net profit takers to the extent of QR0.12mn the previous day.
Total trade volume fell 19% to 222.82mn shares, value by 19% to QR365.96mn and transactions by 23% to 7,457.
There was 74% plunge in the transport sector’s trade volume to 1.18mn equities, 70% in value to QR4.61mn and 57% in deals to 211.
The industrials sector’s trade volume plummeted 46% to 70.48mn stocks, value by 39% to QR86.86mn and transactions by 28% to 1,822.
The market witnessed 45% shrinkage in the insurance sector’s trade volume to 6.82mn shares, 49% in value to QR20.64mn and 37% in deals to 514.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume tanked 42% to 41.83mn equities, value by 37% to QR60.6mn and transactions by 38% to 1,353.
The telecom sector reported 22% contraction in trade volume to 2.35mn stocks, 12% in value to QR9.17mn and 11% in deals to 347.
However, the real estate sector’s trade volume almost tripled to 61.78mn shares and value also almost tripled to QR90.17mn on 72% growth in transactions to 1,393.
The banks and financial services sector saw 25% growth in trade volume to 37.38mn equities but on 27% dip in value to QR93.91mn and 27% in deals to 1,817.
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