The cabinet nod to allow up to 100% foreign ownership in the listed companies substantially lifted the sentiments in the Qatar Stock Exchange, which Sunday gained more than 376 points in index and QR21bn in capitalisation.
The expectations build up due to the nearing (first half) earnings season also helped the 20-stock Qatar Index soar 3.2% to 12,129.92 points, although it touched an intraday high of 12,304 points.
An across the board buying – especially in the industrials, real estate and consumer goods sectors – lifted the sentiments in the market, whose year-to-date gains improved to 4.34%.
The local retail investors were seen increasingly into net buying in the bourse, whose capitalisation saw about QR21bn or 3.12% increase to QR680.31bn, mainly on the back of large and midcap segments.
The Islamic index was seen outperforming the main barometer in the market, where the industrials sector alone constituted more than 50% of the total trading volume.
The Arab individuals turned net buyers in the bourse, which saw a total of 0.07mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.24mn changed hands across 20 deals.
About 89% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
Total trade turnover declined amidst higher volumes in the bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index grew 3.2% to 24,846.01 points, All Share Index by 2.86% to 3,897.31 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 3.78% to 2,619.82 points.
The industrials sector index zoomed 6.44%, realty (4.35%), consumer goods and services (4.21%), transport (2.25%), insurance (1.82%), banks and financial services (1.46%) and telecom (1.24%).
Major movers in the main market included Inma Holding, Al Khaleej Takaful, Qamco, Ezdan, Baladna, Commercial Bank, QIIB, Alijarah Holding, Dlala, Qatar Oman Investment, Qatari German Medical Devices, Woqod, Mannai Corporation, Salam International Investment, Qatar National Cement, Industries Qatar, Aamal Company, Qatari Investors Group, Gulf International Services, Estithmar Holding, Mazaya Qatar, Vodafone Qatar and Gulf Warehousing. In the venture market, Mekdam Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.
Nevertheless, Doha Insurance, QLM, Medicare Group, Ooredoo and QNB were among the losers in the main market. In the juniour bourse, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its equities depreciate in value.
Qatari individuals’ net buying increased substantially to QR38.79mn compared to QR19.96mn on June 23.
The Arab individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR17.38mn against net sellers of QR5.88mn the previous day.
The Arab institutions’ net buying grew markedly to QR1.23mn compared to QR0.41mn last Thursday.
The domestic funds’ net selling weakened substantially to QR35.72mn against QR106.71mn on June 23.
However, the foreign funds were net sellers to the tune of QR21.63mn compared with net buyers of QR73.33mn the previous day.
The Gulf individuals turned net sellers to the extent of QR6.95mn against net buyers of QR3.36mn last Thursday.
The foreign individuals’ net buying shrank notably to QR1.49mn compared to QR7.46mn on June 23.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying shrank perceptibly to QR5.42mn against QR8.07mn the previous day.
Total trade volume in the main market rose 10% to 242.31mn shares, while value shed 28% to QR485.43mn and transactions by 39% to 10,877.
The real estate sector’s trade volume soared 68% to 38.46mn equities, value by 37% to QR42.63mn and deals by 44% to 1,308.
There was 51% surge in the insurance sector’s trade volume to 1.22mn stocks and 22% in value to QR3.49mn but on 23% decline in transactions to 107.
The industrials sector’s trade volume zoomed 23% to 121.63mn shares and value by 2% to QR253.82mn, while deals fell 18% to 4,639.
However, the market witnessed 71% plunge in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 1.9mn equities, 75% in value to QR6.27mn and 70% in transactions to 258.
The transport sector’s trade volume plummeted 68% to 3.1mn stocks, value by 69% to QR14.29mn and deals by 62% to 539.
The banks and financial services sector saw 13% shrinkage in trade volume to 40.72mn shares, 56% in value to QR111.22mn and 60% in transactions to 2,709.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume was down 1% to 35.29mn equities, value by 27% to QR53.73mn and deals by 34% to 1,317.
The venture market reported 44.26% expansion in trade volumes to 0.88mn stocks, 53.3% in value to QR5.58mn and 13.54% in transactions to 327.