The Qatar Stock Exchange on Thursday saw domestic institutions turn bullish, even as it settled lower for the second straight session.

The buying interests in the insurance, transport and industrials counters notwithstanding, the 20-stock Qatar Index was down 0.05% to 10,761.35 points, having touched an intraday high of 10,794 points.

The selling pressure of the foreign and Gulf individuals were seen easing in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 3.12%.

About 60% of the traded constituents were in the red in the bourse, whose capitalisation saw more than QR1bn or 0.17% decrease to QR624.77mn, mainly owing to microcap segments.

Foreign institutions were seen bearish and there was increased net profit booking by the local retail investors in the market, which saw the industrials, real estate and consumer goods sectors together constituted about 72% of the total trading volume.

The overall trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the bourse, where the Islamic equities were seen declining faster than the other indices.

The Arab individuals were increasingly into net selling in the market, which saw a total of 11,929 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan sponsored QATR and Doha Bank sponsored QETF) valued at QR29,670 changed hands across six deals; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.

The Total Return Index was down 0.05% to 21,302.74 points, the All Share Index by 0.08% to 3,477.56 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.16% to 2,469.6 points.

The telecom sector index shrank 0.75%, consumer goods and services (0.37%), banks and financial services (0.15%) and realty (0.04%); whereas insurance gained 0.59%, transport (0.25%) and industrials (0.09%).

Major losers included Qatar Cinema and Film, Qatari German Medical Devices, Gulf International Services, Ezdan, Ooredoo, Vodafone Qatar, Alijarah Holding, Dlala, Commercial Bank, Qatar Oman Investment, Baladna, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing and Qatari Investors Group; even as Qatar Islamic Insurance, Industries Qatar Doha Insurance, Qatar National Cement, Inma Holding, Zad Holding and Barwa were among the gainers.

Foreign funds turned net sellers to the tune of QR13.23mn compared with net buyers of QR13.19mn on June 23.

Qatari individuals’ net selling increased markedly to QR9.48mn against QR4.65mn the previous day.

The Arab individuals’ net profit booking grew noticeably to QR2.46mn compared to QR0.16mn on Wednesday.

The Gulf institutions’ net buying decreased noticeably to QR10.47mn against QR21.04mn on June 23.

However, the domestic funds turned net buyers to the tune of QR15.65mn compared with net sellers of QR12.09mn the previous day.

The foreign individuals’ net buying weakened substantially to QR0.63mn against QR15.16mn on Wednesday.

The Gulf individuals’ net buying also shrank perceptibly to QR0.31mn against QR2.16mn on June 23.

The Arab institutions continued to have no major net exposure.

Total trade volume fell 5% to 110.14mn shares, value by 20% to QR271.07mn and transactions by 2% to 8,431.

The telecom sector’s trade volume plummeted 33% to 5.22mn equities, value by 23% to QR28.51mn and 9% in deals to 1,675.

There was 31% plunge in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 23.64mn stocks, 36% in value to QR37.59mn and 27% in transactions to 1,066.

The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume shrank 9% to 20.11mn shares, value by 23% to QR28.17mn and deals by 12% to 843.

However, the transport sector reported 70% surge in trade volume to 3.36mn equities, 52% in value to QR10.68mn and 15% in transactions to 387.

The insurance sector’s trade volume soared 69% to 3.84mn stocks and value by 24% to QR11.07mn; whereas deals were down 25% to 202.

The market witnessed 20% expansion in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 35.15mn shares, 3% in value to QR72.49mn and 24% in transactions to 1,933.

The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume was up 3% to 18.84mn equities but on 32% contraction in value to QR82.56mn despite 7% higher deals at 2,325.

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