The Qatar Stock Exchange on Sunday reopened after the Eid holidays with 81 points increase and its key index inched near the 10,800 levels, steered by foreign funds.
The banking counter witnessed higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.76% to 10,777.66 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,747 points.
The Arab individuals were seen bullish, albeit at lower levels, in the market, whose year-to-date gains stood at 3.27%.
About 65% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the bourse, whose capitalisation saw about QR5bn or 0.78% increase to QR623.63bn, mainly owing to midcap segments.
The weakened net selling pressure of the Gulf individuals also had its minor influence in the market, which saw the industrials, consumer goods and services and banking sectors together constitute about 79% of the total trading volume.
The overall trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the bourse, where the local retail investors were seen net profit takers.
The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices in the market, which saw a total of 31,911 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan sponsored QATR and Doha bank sponsored QETF) valued at QR282,168 change hands across seven deals; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
The Total Return Index rose 0.76% to 21,335.02 points, All Share Index by 0.76% to 3,418.38 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.57% to 2,467.21 points.
The banks and financial services sector index shot up 1.05%, industrials (0.67%), insurance (0.61%), real estate (0.29%), telecom (0.26%) and consumer goods and services (0.18%); whereas transport was down 0.13%.
Major gainers included Ahlibank Qatar, QNB, Qatar Insurance, Qatar Electricity and Water, Qatari German Medical Devices, QLM, Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution, Commercial Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Mannai Corporation and Qatar Industrial Manufacturing; even as Alijarah Holding, Doha Insurance, Qatar First Bank, Milaha and Mazaya Qatar were among the losers.
Foreign funds turned net buyers to the tune of QR19.81mn compared with net sellers of QR31.14mn on July 15.
The Arab individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR0.68mn against net sellers of QR3.99mn the previous trading day.
The Gulf individuals’ net prof8it booking weakened marginally to QR0.09mn compared to QR0.65mn on July 15.
However, Qatari individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR17.88mn against net buyers of QR16.77mn the previous trading day.
Domestic institutions were net sellers to the extent of QR7.37mn compared with net buyers of QR9.02mn on July 15.
Foreign individuals turned net profit takers to the tune of QR1.09mn against net buyers of QR2.11mn the previous trading day.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying declined markedly to QR5.97mn compared to QR7.89mn on July 15.
The Arab institutions continued to have no major net exposure for the third straight session.
Total trade volume fell 26% to 64.58mn shares, value by 29% to QR188.29mn and transactions by 8% to 5,911.
The telecom sector’s trade volume plummeted 72% to 2.05mn equities, value by to QR6.02mn and deals by 57% to 372.
The real estate sector reported 56% plunge in trade volume to 5.91mn stocks, 54% in value to QR8.7mn and 44% in transactions to 359.
The insurance’s trade volume tanked 52% to 0.69mn shares, value by 50% to QR3.05mn and deals by 15% to 123.
The industrials sector reported 35% shrinkage in trade volume to 15.69mn equities and 31% in value to QR38.45mn but on 1% jump in transactions to 1,360.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume shrank 19% to 12.95mn stocks and value by 46% to QR51.07mn; whereas deals were up 16% to 2,063.
However, there was 34% surge in the transport sector’s trade volume to 5.1mn shares, 70% in value to QR21.4mn and 80% in transactions to 683.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume shot up 14% to 22.2mn equities and 13% in value to QR59.6mn, while deals declined 25% to 951.
 
 
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