The Qatar Stock Exchange on Thursday gained more than 134 points to inch towards 13,100 levels as the Gulf institutions turned bullish.
A higher than average demand at the telecom and insurance counters led the 20-stock Qatar Index to surge 1.04% to 13,099.25 points, recovering from an intraday low of 12,981 points.
About 58% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the market, whose year-to-date gains improved to 12.67%.
The foreign individuals turned net buyers in the bourse, whose capitalisation saw QR4bn or 0.55% jump to QR732.28bn, mainly on the back of midcap segments.
The Islamic index was seen gaining faster than the other indices in the market, where the industrials and banking sectors together constituted more than 66% of the total trading volume.
The local retail investors’ weakened net selling had its influence in the bourse, which saw a total of 24,150 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.25mn changed hands across 15 deals.
The Arab individuals’ net profit booking also had its say in the market, which saw a total of 0.19mn sovereign bonds valued at QR1.86bn trade across two transactions.
Total trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index rose 1.04% to 26,831.51 points, the All Share Index by 0.72% to 4,167.5 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 1.13% to 2,857.15 points.
The telecom sector index soared 2.64%, insurance (1.33%), transport (1.03%), industrials (0.79%), banks and financial services (0.67%) and consumer goods and services (0.25%); while real estate declined 0.59%.
Major gainers in the main market included Gulf International Services, Qatar Electricity and Water, Ooredoo, Milaha, Qatar Islamic Bank, Qatar Oman Investment, Qatar Insurance, Al Khaleej Takaful and Qatar Islamic Insurance; while Al Faleh Educational Holding was the mover in the venture market.
Nevertheless, Al Meera, Zad Holding, Mannai Corporation, Barwa, Baladna and QNB were among the losers in the main market. In the juniour bourse, Mekdam Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.
The Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR22.94mn compared with net sellers of QR14.99mn on June 8.
The foreign individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR2.09mn against net sellers of QR2.47mn on Wednesday.
Qatari individuals’ net selling declined substantially to QR26.68mn compared to QR75.87mn the previous day.
The Arab individuals’ net selling weakened markedly to QR3.88mn against QR11.52mn on June 8.
The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking shrank notably to QR0.84mn compared to QR2.27mn on Wednesday.
However, the domestic funds turned net sellers to the extent of QR45.33mn against net buyers of QR30.24mn the previous day.
The foreign institutions’ net buying decreased significantly to QR51.27mn compared to QR76.84mn on June 8.
The Arab institutions’ net buying eased marginally to QR0.04mn against QR0.05mn on Wednesday.
Total trade volume in the main market fell 13% to 182.9mn shares and value by 2% to QR681.08mn, while transactions rose 12% to 17,661.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume plummeted 71% to 13.21mn equities, value by 51% to QR37.92mn stocks and deals by 43% to 1,120.
There was a 17% shrinkage in the transport sector’s trade volume to 13.1mn stocks but on 12% increase in value to QR78.17mn and 63% in transactions to 1,435.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume shrank 6% to 40.81mn shares and value by 2% to QR271.04mn, whereas deals were up 8% to 7,667.
The market witnessed a 1% rise in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 22.53mn equities, 26% in value to QR27.16mn and 23% in transactions to 1,106.
However, the insurance sector’s trade volume soared 87% to 6.83mn stocks and value by 54% to QR20.4mn on more than doubled deals to 570.
The industrials sector reported an 11% surge in trade volume to 80.66mn shares, 6% in value to QR220.05mn and 38% in transactions to 4,864.
The telecom sector’s trade volume was up 5% to 5.76mn equities, value by 44% to QR22.34mn and deals by 37% to 1,106.
In the venture market, trade volumes tanked 13.95% to 0.74mn stocks, value by 28.9% to QR4.7mn and transactions by 19.46% to 240.