Market EyeMirroring the positive global trends due to strengthening optimism on the US rate cut in December, the Qatar Stock Exchange Sunday gained more than 45 points on the buying support of Gulf institutions. The telecom and banking counters witnessed higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.43% to 10,653.13 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,618 points.The local retail investors continued to be net buyers but with lesser vigour in the main market, whose year-to-date gains improved to 0.78%. The domestic institutions also continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR2.87bn or 0.45% to QR636.61bn, mainly on midcap segments.The foreign institutions were seen net profit takers in the main market, which saw as many as 801 exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR1,839 trade across 13 deals. The foreign individuals turned bearish in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The Arab individuals were seen net sellers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds. The Total Return Index rose 0.43%, the All Share Index by 0.4% and the All Islamic Index by 0.36% in the main market.The telecom sector index shot up 2.11%, banks and financial services (0.64%) and industrials (0.15%); while transport declined 0.71%, consumer goods and services (0.35%), real estate (0.19%) and insurance (0.15%). As many as 17 stocks gained, while 34 declined and two were unchanged.Major gainers in the main market include Ooredoo, Doha Insurance, Lesha Bank, QNB, Qatar Islamic Bank and Industries Qatar. Nevertheless, more than 64% of the traded constituents were in the red with major losers being Widam Food, Dlala, Baladna, Qatar German Medical Devices, Mannai Corporation, Meeza, Gulf International Services, Estithmar Holding, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, QLM, Vodafone Qatar, Gulf Warehousing and Nakilat.In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value. The Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR5.35mn compared with net sellers of QR1.75bn the previous day. However, the foreign funds turned net sellers to the extent of QR3.78mn against net buyers of QR1.45bn last Thursday.The Arab individuals were net sellers to the tune of QR6.43mn compared with net buyers of QR9.5mn on November 20. The foreign retail investors turned net profit takers to the extent of QR5.25mn against net buyers of QR1.86mn the previous day. The local retail investors’ net buying decreased substantially to QR4.88mn compared to QR143.08mn last Thursday.The domestic institutions’ net buying weakened significantly to QR4.4mn against QR142.35mn on November 20. The Gulf individual investors’ net buying eased perceptibly to QR0.84mn compared to QR1.39mn the previous day.The Arab funds had no major net exposure for the fifth straight session. The main market saw a 68% contraction in trade volumes to 95.79mn shares, 90% in value to QR258.82mn and 55% in deals to 14,730. In the venture market, a total of 0.03mn equities valued at QR0.06mn changed hands across six transactions.