Rebound in oil prices at the end of last week helped improve sentiments on the Qatar Stock Exchange, which Sunday gained a huge 155 points and its key index crossed the 13,100 levels.
The foreign institutions turned bullish as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 1.19% to 13,103.54 points, recovering from an intraday low of 13,041 points.
The real estate and banking counters witnessed higher than average demand in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 12.71%.
More than 73% of the traded constituents extended gains in the bourse, whose capitalisation soared QR7.99bn or 1.11% to QR727.44bn mainly on the back of large and midcap segments.
The Islamic index was seen gaining faster than the other indices in the market, which saw a total of 0.09mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR1.05mn changed hands across 38 deals.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the main market, while the venture market saw higher turnover and volumes.
The local retail investors were however net sellers in the bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
The domestic institutions were increasingly net profit takers in the market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index gained 1.19% to 26,840.29 points, the All Share Index by 1.1% to 4,148.14 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) gained 1.2% to 2,898.3 points.
The real estate sector index soared 2.41%, banks and financial services (1.31%), industrials (1.05%), telecom (0.95%), insurance (0.87%) and transport (0.6%); while consumer goods and services declined 0.35%.
Major gainers in the main market included QLM, United Development Company, Industries Qatar, Medicare Group, Barwa, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qatar Islamic Bank, QIIB, Qatar First Bank, Baladna, Estithmar Holding, Ezdan, Ooredoo, Gulf Warehousing and Salam International Investment. In the venture market, Mekdam Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.
Nevertheless, Mannai Corporation, Widam Food, Qatari German Medical Devices, Woqod and Dlala were among the losers in the main market.
The foreign institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR39.8mn compared with net sellers of QR10.48mn on September 8.
However, the domestic institutions’ net selling grew considerably to QR17.7mn against QR0.52mn the previous trading day.
Qatari individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR17.19mn compared with net buyers of QR8.01mn last Thursday.
The Arab individuals’ net profit booking strengthened markedly to QR4.05mn against QR1.1mn on September 8.
The Gulf retail investors’ net selling expanded noticeably to QR2.02mn compared to QR0.63mn the previous trading day.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying shrank significantly to QR0.9mn against QR3.88mn last Thursday.
The foreign individuals’ net buying eased marginally to QR0.27mn compared to QR0.85mn on September 8.
The Arab institutions continued to have no major net exposure for the fifth straight session.
Total trade volume in the main market fell 16% to 95.92mn shares, value by 37% to QR295.22mn and deals by 49% to 9,145.
In the venture market, there was an 18% jump in trade volumes to 0.26mn equities and 16% in value to QR1.9mn but on 24% shrinkage in transactions to 80.