The Qatar Stock Exchange on Monday gained 38 points and its key index inched towards the 12,500 levels, mainly on the back of strong buying interests of foreign institutions.
The banking and industrials counters witnessed higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.3% higher at 12,471.4 points, recovering from an intraday low of 12,392 points.
The Gulf and domestic institutions continued to be bullish but with lesser vigour in the market, whose year-to-date gains swelled to 7.27%.
Nevertheless, more than 63% of the traded constituents were in the red in the bourse, whose capitalisation saw about QR5bn or 0.7% addition to QR714.07bn, mainly on the back of midcap segments.
The Islamic index was seen declining vis-à-vis gains in the conventional indices in the market, where the real estate, banking and industrials accounted for about 78% of the trading volume.
The foreign retail investors were seen bearish in the main market, which saw a total of 107,950 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored QATR and Doha Bank-sponsored QETF) valued at QR1.23mn trade across 16 deals.
Total trade turnover was seen gaining amidst lower volumes in the bourse, which saw four of the seven sectors under selling pressure.
The Total Return Index gained 0.3% to 24,687.88 points and the All Share Index by 0.53% to 3,934 points, while the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) fell 0.22% to 2,739.88 points in the market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
The banks and financial services sector index expanded 0.83%, industrials (0.65%) and insurance (0.13%); while realty declined 0.58%, transport (0.45%), consumer goods and services (0.23%) and telecom (0.16%).
Major gainers in the main market included Qatari German Medical Devices, Ahlibank Qatar, Industries Qatar, QNB, Qatar First Bank and Qatar Insurance.
Nevertheless, Investment Holding Group, Gulf International Services, Qatar Oman Investment, Salam International Investment, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Qatar Islamic Bank, Aamal Company, Qamco, QLM, United Development Company, Ooredoo and Nakilat were among the losers in the main market.
In the venture market, Mekdam Holding saw their stocks depreciate in value.
The foreign institutions’ net buying increased substantially to QR95.71mn compared to QR10.38mn on January 16.
However, Qatari individuals’ net selling grew significantly to QR115.56mn against QR70.9mn the previous day.
The foreign individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR3.15mn compared with net buyers of QR5.69mn on Sunday.
The Gulf individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR0.09mn against net buyers of QR0.9mn on January 16.
The Gulf funds’ net buying declined drastically to QR13.81mn compared to QR28.5mn the previous day.
The domestic institutions’ also shrank noticeably to QR6.69mn against QR13.92mn on Sunday.
The Arab individuals’ net buying eased markedly to QR2.59mn compared to QR11.51mn on January 16.
The Arab funds continued to have no major net exposure.
Total trade volume in the main market fell 4% to 220.8mn shares, while value rose 9% to QR626.69mn amidst 4% lower transactions at 12,715.
There was 52% plunge in the transport sector’s trade volume to 3.67mn equities, 55% in value to QR17.83mn and 4% in deals to 431.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume plummeted 48% to 30.68mn stocks, value by 31% to QR53.88mn and transactions by 4% to 1,396.
There was an 18% contraction in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 45.71mn shares, 4% in value to QR137.14mn and 23% in deals to 2,601.
However, the insurance sector’s trade volume soared 50% to 5.78mn equities and value by 37% to QR15.54mn on more than doubled transactions to 363.
The market witnessed a 37% surge in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 79.37mn stocks, 23% in value to QR100.32mn and 3% in deals to 1,723.
The telecom sector’s volume shot up 29% to 9.49mn shares and value by 24% to QR50.47mn, whereas transactions declined 30% to 632.
The banks and financial services sector saw an 18% jump in trade volume to 46.1mn equities, 39% in value to QR251.52mn and 6% in deals to 5,569.
In the venture market, volume shrank 64.73% to 88,514 stocks, value by 71.1% to QR0.46mn and transactions by 68% to 40.
 
 
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