The Qatar Stock Exchange Sunday opened the week on stronger note as its key index gained more than 99 points to surpass the 13,700 levels, mainly on the back of strong buying in the banking counter.
The Arab individuals turned net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.73% higher at 13,731.33 points, although it touched an intraday high of 13,764 points.
The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 18.11%.
The local retail investors’ weakened net selling had its influence in the market, whose capitalisation saw more than QR4bn or 0.57% increase to QR774.48bn, mainly on the back of small cap segments.
The domestic institutions substantially weakened net selling also had its role in the bourse, where the industrials sector alone accounted for more than 52% of the trading volume.
The foreign institutions continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the market, which saw a total of 615,018 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR8.05mn changed hands across 160 deals.
Similarly, the Gulf funds also continued to be bearish but with lesser vigour in the bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
Total trade turnover and volumes were on the decrease in the market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index gained 0.73% to 28,016.37 points, the All Share Index by 0.66% to 4,384.36 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.76% to 2,976.79 points.
The banks and financial services index shot up 1.18%, real estate (0.57%), insurance (0.27%), consumer goods and services (0.24%) and industrials (0.09%); while transport declined 0.81% and telecom (0.52%).
Major gainers in the main market included Qatari German Medical Devices, Widam Food, Qamco, Qatar Islamic Bank, QIIB, Gulf International Services, Investment Holding Group, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Ezdan and Barwa.
Nevertheless, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Inma Holding, Medicare Group, Nakilat, Mannai Corporation and Ooredoo were among the losers in the main market. In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mekdam Holding saw their shares depreciate in value.
The Arab individuals were net buyers to the tune of QR18.66mn compared with net sellers of QR10.14mn on March 24.
The Arab institutions turned net buyers to the extent of QR0.01mn against net profit takers of QR0.11mn last Thursday.
The domestic funds’ net selling declined considerably to QR147.12mn compared to QR239.94mn the previous trading day.
Qatari individuals’ net profit booking fell markedly to QR19.54mn against QR67.53mn on March 24.
However, the Gulf individuals were net sellers to the tune of QR0.07mn compared with net buyers of QR0.68mn last Thursday.
The foreign institutions’ net buying decreased significantly to QR79.2mn against QR205.82mn the previous trading day.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying weakened noticeably to QR67.38mn compared to QR108.73mn on March 24.
The foreign individuals’ net buying shrank perceptibly to QR1.49mn against QR2.44mn last Thursday.
Total trade volume in the main market fell 17% to 225.74mn shares, value by 28% to QR818.26mn and transactions by 24% to 16,484.
The real estate sector reported a 46% plunge in trade volume to 19.51mn equities, 52% in value to QR29.94mn and 33% in deals to 959.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume plummeted 39% to 38.49mn stocks, value by 42% to QR332.61mn and transactions by 32% to 6,615.
There was a 27% shrinkage in the transport sector’s trade volume to 4.62mn shares and 6% in value to QR25.9mn but on 12% increase in deals to 1,144.
The telecom sector’s trade volume tanked 24% to 1.91mn equities, value by 5% to QR8.69mn and transactions by 3% to 689.
The market witnessed 4% contraction in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 117.93mn stocks, 14% in value to QR309.21mn and 34% in deals to 4,191.
However, the consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume grew 5% to 36.49mn shares, value by 16% to QR93.66mn and transactions by 23% to 2,319.
The insurance sector saw a 2% jump in trade volume to 6.8mn equities but on 11% dip in value to QR18.26mn despite 23% higher deals at 567.
In the venture market, trade volumes more than quadrupled to 0.89mn stocks and value more than tripled to QR6.07mn on 71.72% increase in transactions to 170.
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