The Qatar Stock Exchange Thursday added 107 points and its key index surpassed 13,600 levels, mainly on the back of strong buying in the real estate and banking counters.
Both foreign and Gulf institutions continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.79% higher at 13,631.97 points, recovering from an intraday low of 13,487 points.
The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 17.26%.
More than 51% of the traded constituents extended gains in the market, whose capitalisation saw 0.72% increase to QR770.1bn, mainly on the back of small and microcap segments.
The domestic institutions substantially weakened net selling had its influence in the bourse, where the industrials and banking sectors together accounted for more than 68% of the trading volume.
The Gulf individuals were increasingly net buyers, albeit at lower levels, in the market, which saw a total of 38,610 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR429,849 changed hands across 16 deals.
Nevertheless, the local retail investors were increasingly net sellers in the bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
Total trade turnover and volumes were on the increase in the market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index gained 0.79% to 27,813.64 points, All Share Index by 0.79% to 4,355.71 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.76% to 2,954.25 points.
The real estate sector index shot up 1.6%, banks and financial services (1.29%), insurance (0.53%) and industrials (0.45%); while transport declined 0.95%, consumer goods and services (0.68%) and telecom (0.04%).
Major gainers in the main market included Qatar Islamic Insurance, Qamco, Qatari Investors Group, QIIB, Barwa, QNB, Qatar Islamic Bank, Medicare Group, Aamal Company, Gulf International Services and United Development Company. In the venture market, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.
Nevertheless, Inma Holding, Milaha, Doha Insurance, Doha Bank, Zad Holding, Woqod, Mazaya Qatar, Gulf Warehousing and Nakilat were among the losers in the main market. In the juniour bourse, Mekdam Holding saw its depreciate in value.
The foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR2.44mn compared with net sellers of QR2.36mn on March 23.
The Gulf individuals’ net buying grew marginally to QR0.68mn against QR0.09mn the previous day.
The domestic funds’ net selling declined considerably to QR239.94mn compared to QR328.19mn on Wednesday.
However, Qatari individuals’ net profit booking rose markedly to QR67.53mn against QR27.52mn on March 23.
The Arab individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR10.14mn compared with net buyers of QR1.61mn the previous day.
The Arab institutions turned net profit takers to the tune of QR0.11mn against no major net exposure for the last three sessions.
The foreign institutions’ net buying decreased significantly to QR205.82mn compared to QR231.79mn on Wednesday.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying strengthened noticeably to QR108.73mn against QR124.58mn on March 23.
Total trade volume in the main market rose 9% to 272.49mn shares, value by 3% to QR2bn and transactions by 1% to 21,555.
The insurance sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 6.69mn equities, value soared 79% to QR20.61mn and deals by 53% to 461.
The real estate sector reported 52% surge in trade volume to 36.34mn stocks, 46% in value to QR62.81mn and 15% in transactions to 1,437.
The transport sector’s trade volume zoomed 42% to 6.3mn shares, value by 34% to QR27.6mn and deals by 27% to 1,022.
The market witnessed 19% expansion in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 123.14mn equities, 9% in value to QR361mn and 1% in transactions to 6,342.
The telecom sector’s trade volume shot up 11% to 2.51mn stocks, value by 22% to QR9.17mn and deals by 36% to 713.
However, the banks and financial services sector saw 19% shrinkage in trade volume to 62.85mn shares, 6% in value to QR569.71mn and 7% in transactions to 9,691.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume was down less than 1% to 34.67mn equities; whereas value was up 3% to QR80.79mn and deals by 7% to 1,889.
The venture market registered 44.74% contraction in trade volumes to 0.21mn stocks, 50.74% in value to QR2mn and 26.67% in transactions to 99.
