The Qatar Stock Exchange Sunday witnessed Islamic equities make gains even as it settled in the negative.
The net buying interests in the real estate and telecom counters notwithstanding, the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.16% lower at 10,736.44 points, although it regained from an intraday low of 10,676 points.
The Gulf and domestic funds were seen bullish in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 2.88%.
Foreign institutions’ net buying considerably weakened, which had its influence in the bourse, whose capitalisation saw about QR2bn or 0.26% decline to QR619.99bn, mainly owing to midcap segments.
Local retail investors continued to be net sellers but with lesser vigour in the market, which saw the banking and consumer goods and services sectors together constitute more than 57% of the total trading volume.
The overall trade turnover declined amidst higher volumes in the bourse, where foreign retail investors turned bullish.
Nevertheless, more than 57% of the traded constituents extended gains in the market, which saw a total of 6,496 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan sponsored QATR) valued at QR15,783 change hands across three deals; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
The Total Return Index was down 0.16% to 21,253.42 points and All Share Index by 0.31% to 3,406.35 points, while Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) rose 0.5% to 2,450.98 points.
The insurance index declined 0.69%, transport (0.57%), banks and financial services (0.42%) and consumer goods and services (0.41%) and industrials (0.16%); whereas realty and telecom gained 0.87% and 0.08% respectively.
Major losers included Doha Bank, Woqod, Qatar Insurance, Qatar National Cement, QNB, Industries Qatar, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Al Khaleej Takaful and Nakilat.
However, gainers include Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution, Baladna, Qamco, Ahlibank Qatar, United Development Company, Masraf Al Rayan, Qatar First Bank, Qatari German Company for Medical Devices, Salam International Investment, Qatar Electricity and Water, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance and Mazaya Qatar.
Foreign institutions’ net buying declined substantially to QR1.95mn compared to QR56.94mn on July 29.
However, the Gulf funds’ net buying increased markedly to QR5.87mn against QR1.53mn the previous trading day.
Domestic funds turned net buyers to the tune of QR4.37mn compared with net sellers of QR20.41mn last Thursday.
Foreign individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR2mn against net sellers of QR3.63mn on July 29.
The Gulf individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.44mn compared with net sellers of QR1.03mn the previous day.
Qatari individuals’ net selling weakened noticeably to QR10.11mn against QR28.55mn last Thursday.
The Arab individuals’ net profit booking eased marginally to QR4.52mn compared to QR4.77mn on July 29.
The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net sellers to the tune of QR0.09mn last Thursday.
Total trade volume rose 22% to 121.86mn shares, while value fell 5% to QR270.47mn and transactions by 11% to 6,590.
There was 79% surge in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 21.11mn equities, 63% in value to QR29.97mn and 22% in deals to 858.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume soared 44% to 41.68mn stocks, value by 44% to QR56.06mn and transactions by 6% to 1,283.
The market witnessed 21% expansion in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 2.39mn shares, less than 1% in value to QR12.04mn and 4% in deals to 641.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume was up 5% to 24.6mn equities, while value shrank 20% to QR106.93mn and transactions by 22% to 1,941.
The transport sector saw 1% jump in trade volume to 3.37mn stocks and 8% in value to QR11.68mn but on 40% decline in deals to 339.
However, the insurance’s trade volume tanked 46% to 0.81mn shares, value by 26% to QR3.43mn and transactions by 35% to 66.
The industrials sector’s trade volume was down 2% to 27.91mn equities, value by 24% to QR50.36mn and deals by 17% to 1,462.
 
 
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