The Qatar Stock Exchange on Thursday witnessed violent gyrations in the first half as it fell more than eight points but overall it settled above 12,800 levels.
The foreign institutions’ substantially increased net buying notwithstanding, the 20-stock Qatar Index was down 0.06% to 12,808.93 points, recovering from an intraday low of 12,794 points.
The Gulf institutions were seen increasingly into net buying in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 10.18%.
The domestic institutions’ net selling weakened considerably in the bourse, whose capitalisation saw more than QR1bn or 0.14% decrease to QR731.16bn, mainly on the back of small cap segments.
Local retail investors were increasingly into net selling in the market, where the consumer goods and industrials sectors together accounted for more than 66% of the trading volume.
The Arab retail investors turned bearish in the bourse, which saw a total of 524,854 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR4.71mn changed hands across 56 deals.
The foreign individuals were also seen net profit takers in the market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
Total trade turnover shrank amidst higher volumes in the bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index was down 0.06% to 25,356.04 points and the All Share Index by 0.23% to 4,014.43 points, while the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) rose 0.13% to 2,837.12 points.
The real estate sector index lost 0.76%, banks and financial services (0.38%), transport (0.29%), insurance (0.24%) and industrials (0.08%); while telecom gained 0.96% and consumer goods and services 0.33%.
Major losers in the main market included Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Doha Bank, Commercial Bank, Milaha, Mannai Corporation, Qatar National Cement and Qamco.
In the venture market, Mekdam Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.
Nevertheless, more than 53% of the traded constituents in the main market extended gains and included Qatar Oman Investment, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Salam International Investment, Investment Holding Group, Al Meera, Alijarah Holding, Inma Holding, Ooredoo and Nakilat. In the juniour bourse, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its shares gain.
Qatari individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR180.93mn compared with net buyers of QR17.42mn on February 9.
The Arab individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR6.65mn against net buyers of QR5.73mn the previous day.
The foreign individuals turned net profit takers to the tune of QR2.11mn compared with net buyers of QR8.31mn on Wednesday.
The Gulf individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR0.33mn against net buyers of QR2.43mn on February 9.
However, the foreign funds’ net buying expanded substantially to QR177.38mn compared to QR23.59mn the previous day.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying strengthened markedly to QR20.57mn against QR11.1mn against on Wednesday.
The Arab institutions’ net buying rose marginally to QR0.44mn compared to QR0.28mn on February 9.
The domestic funds’ net profit booking weakened significantly to QR8.36mn against QR68.86mn the previous day.
Total trade volume in the main market rose 12% to 304.67mn shares, while value eased 16% to QR904.12mn and transactions by 9% to 18,089.
The telecom sector’s volume more than doubled to 10.34mn equities and value almost tripled to QR50.51mn on a 61% increase in deals to 1,582.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 129.75mn stocks, value soared 71% to QR150.99mn and transactions by 21% to 2,352.
The transport sector saw a 37% surge in trade volume to 11.22mn shares, 56% in value to QR65.52mn and 37% in deals to 1,726.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume shot up 19% to 54.62mn equities and value by 8% to QR301.34mn; whereas transactions were down 17% to 6,096.
However, the industrials sector’s trade volume plummeted 39% to 72.58mn stocks, value by 53% to QR287.97mn and deals by 29% to 4,935.
There was a 16% plunge in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 22.77mn shares and 7% in value to QR15.64mn but on 13% growth in transactions to 1,052.
The insurance sector’s trade volume tanked 15% to 3.38mn equities, while value was up 13% to QR15.64mn despite 19% lower deals at 346.
In the venture market, volumes contracted 24.49% to 0.74mn stocks, value by 22.69% to QR6.44mn and transactions by 36.53% to 205.
 
 
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