The Qatar Stock Exchange on Sunday saw Islamic equities outperform the major indices as it settled above 11,200 points.

The industrials, telecom and insurance counters witnessed higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled more than 43 points or 0.39% higher at 11,224.09 points.

The Gulf funds and foreign individuals were increasingly net buyers in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 7.55%.

More than 57% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the bourse, whose capitalisation saw more than QR2bn or 0.38% increase to QR648.54bn, mainly due to small cap segments.

The Gulf retail investors turned bullish in the market, which saw the industrials, consumer goods and services, and banking sectors together constitute more than 81% of the total trading volume.

The overall trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the bourse, where the domestic institutions’ net selling pressure declined substantially.

The foreign funds continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the market, which saw a total of 5,425 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan sponsored QATR) valued at QR13,730 change hands across three deals.

The Total Return Index gained 0.39% to 22,218.76 points, Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.72% to 2,560.5 points and All Share Index by 0.21% to 3,556.48 points in the market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.

The industrials sector index shot up 1.46%, telecom (1.15%), insurance (0.46%), transport (0.34%), real estate (0.14%) and consumer goods and services (0.06%); while banks and financial services index was down 0.31%.

Major gainers included Mesaieed Petrochemical Industries, Milaha, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Vodafone Qatar, Industries Qatar, Doha Bank, Medicare Group, Qatar Insurance and Ooredoo.

Nevertheless, Qatar Electricity and Water, Baladna, Qatari German Medical Devices, Mazaya Qatar, al khaliji, QNB, Qatari Investors Group, Gulf International Services and Nakilat were among the shakers.

The Gulf institutions’ net buying strengthened noticeably to QR6.89mn compared to QR4.03mn on September 16.

The foreign individuals’ net buying increased markedly to QR4.02mn against QR0.34mn the previous trading day.

The Gulf individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.14mn compared with net sellers of QR0.34mn last Thursday.

The domestic institutions’ net selling declined substantially to QR3.03mn against QR106.01mn on September 16.

The Arab individuals’ net profit booking eased perceptibly to QR1mn compared to QR3.18mn the previous trading day.

However, local retail investors’ net selling shot up notably to QR18.83mn against QR8.56mn last Thursday.

The foreign institutions’ net buying decreased drastically to QR10.82mn compared to QR113.71mn on September 16.

The Arab funds continued to have no major net exposure for the fourth straight session.

Total trade volume fell 26% to 145.16mn shares, value by 50% to QR382.19mn and transactions by 32% to 7,505.

The transport sector’s trade volume plummeted 64% to 2mn equities, value by 60% to QR7.23mn and deals by 31% to 254.

The real estate sector reported 53% plunge in trade volume to 9.5mn stocks, 59% in value to QR15.66mn and 29% in transactions to 783.

The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 52% to 21.23mn shares, value by 78% to QR72.38mn and deals by 58% to 1,825.

There was 18% shrinkage in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 74.21mn equities, 38% in value to QR186.76mn and 21% in transactions to 2,582.

The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume shrank 15% to 22.78mn stocks, value by 29% to QR42.23mn and deals by 36% to 814.

However, the insurance sector’s trade volume almost tripled to 8.37mn shares and value tripled to QR21.06mn but on 21% contraction in transactions to 100.

The telecom sector’s trade volume was up 3% to 7.06mn equities but value more than doubled to QR36.86mn and deals also more than doubled to 1,148.

In the venture market, Al Faleh equities were seen gaining 2.59%, while those of Mekdam Holding declined 3.08%.

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