The global apprehensions over the efficacy of vaccine against the Omicron variant of Covid-19 had its impact on the Qatar Stock Exchange, which lost about 188 points in key index and QR11bn in capitalisation this week.
Notwithstanding the bullish outlook of the local retail investors, the 20-stock Qatar Index tanked 1.59% this week which however saw the cabinet approve up to 100% foreign ownership limit in four listed banks.
“Uncertainty may persist for a short period, whilst this new variant (Omicron) and its impact are assessed,” QSE chief executive Rashid bin Ali al-Mansoori had tweeted a day after Moderna chief expressed doubt over the efficacy of the vaccine against the South African variant.
The Gulf institutions were also seen bullish this week which saw al khaliji get delisted upon its merger with Masraf Al Rayan.
About 81% of the traded constituents were in the red this week which saw Qatar's trade surplus amount to QR21.18bn in October 2021.
The industrials and telecom counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure this week which saw Qatar’s producers' price index (PPI) soared 103% year-on-year this October.
Foreign funds were increasingly net sellers this week which saw an HSBC Economist roadshow aver that Qatar remains one of the strongest macro stories in the Middle East and its broader Central and Eastern Europe Middle East and Africa region.
The domestic institutions’ net buying weakened substantially this week which saw Qatar's Hamad, Doha and Al Ruwais ports have witnessed modest growth in container handling month-on-month in November this year.
The Gulf individuals were seen net profit takers this week which saw Qatar’s new vehicles' registration witnessed a healthy double digit year-on-year growth in Qatar on the back of robust demand, mainly for the private vehicles and motorcycles.
The foreign retail investors were seen bearish this week which saw a total of 124,241 Masraf Al Rayan sponsored exchange traded fund QATR valued at QR316,793 change hands across 19 transactions.
The Arab individuals continued to be net buyers but with lesser vigour this week which saw a total of 303,831 Doha Bank-sponsored QETF valued at QR3.43mn trade across 45 deals.
The Arab funds were increasingly net buyers this week which saw a total of 645,650 sovereign bonds valued at QR4.67bn change hands across nine deals.
Market capitalisation saw 1.56% erosion to QR669.3bn, mainly on large and midcap segments this week which saw the industrials and banking sectors together constitute more than 68% of the total trade volume.
The Total Return Index shrank 1.59%, All Share Index by 1.4% and All Islamic Index by 1.46% this week which saw the overall trade volume and value on the increase.
The industrials sector index tanked 2.78%, telecom (1.91%), banks and financial services (1.15%), consumer goods and services (0.91%), realty (0.86%) and transport (0.57%); while insurance gained 0.84% this week which saw no trading of treasury bills.
Main shakers in the main market included Industries Qatar, QNB, Qatar Islamic Bank, Qatar Electricity and Water, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Dlala, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution, Qamco, Aamal Company, Ezdan, Ooredoo and Gulf Warehousing. In the venture market, it was Al Faleh Educational Holding.
Nevertheless, Qatar Insurance, Mazaya Qatar, Widam Food and Masraf Al Rayan saw their stocks extend gains. In the juniour bourse, it was Mekdam Holding.
In the main market, the banks and financial services sector accounted for 35% of the total trade volume, industrials (34%), consumer goods and services (15%), real estate (11%), and transport, telecom and insurance (2% each) this week.
In terms of value, the banks and financial services sector’s share was 58%, industrials (22%), consumer goods and services (7%), realty (5%), transport and telecom (3% each) and insurance (2%) this week.
The foreign institutions’ net selling increased substantially to QR136.68mn against QR23.95mn the week ended November 25.
The foreign individuals were net sellers to the tune of QR13.07mn compared with net buyers of QR4.93mn a week ago.
The Gulf individuals turned net sellers to the extent of QR7.34mn against net buyers of QR0.05mn the previous week.
The domestic funds’ net buying shrank significantly to QR5mn compared to QR113.17mn the week ended November 25.
The Arab institutions’ net buying increased marginally to QR0.43mn against QR0.03mn a week ago.
However, Qatari individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR149.23mn compared with net sellers of QR66.62mn the previous week.
The Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR7.36mn against net sellers of QR14.8mn the week ended November 25.
The Arab individuals’ net profit booking weakened markedly to QR4.93mn compared to QR12.83mn a week ago.
Total trade volume in the main market almost doubled to 980.09mn shares and value more than doubled to QR3.42bn on more than doubled transactions to 77,932.
The insurance sector’s trade volume more than quadrupled to 18.31mn equities and value also more than quadrupled to QR53.62mn on more than doubled deals to 986.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 342.23mn stocks and value also more than doubled to QR11.99bn on more than doubled transactions to 44,389.
The real estate sector reported 83% surge in trade volume to 103.84mn shares, 83% in value to QR161.19mn and 91% in deals to 4,466.
The industrials sector’s trade volume soared 79% to 328.9mn equities, value by 90% to QR766.74n and transactions by 57% to 15,204.
There was 71% expansion in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 20.39mn stocks, more than doubling value to QR93.5mn on 82% growth in deals to 4,810.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume shot up 57% to 143.95mn shares, value by 73% to QR248.59mn and transactions by 50% to 5,480.
The market witnessed 55% jump in the transport sector’s trade volume to 22.47mn equities, 46% in value to QR99.63mn and 72% in deals to 2,597.
In the venture market, volumes were seen dropping 12.41% to 0.69mn stocks, value by 27.47% to QR3.07bn and transactions by 18.32% to 188.