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Strengthened oil prices and brightened hopes of the US rate cut had their reflection on the Qatar Stock Exchange, which Wednesday closed positive for the third straight session with its key index gaining more than 49 points. The banks, real estate, consumer goods and transport counters witnessed higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.46% to 10,723.46 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,655 points.The foreign institutions turned net buyers in the main market, whose year-to-date gains improved further to 1.44%. About 55% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR2.13bn or 0.33% to QR640.15bn, mainly on microcap segments.The domestic institutions’ weakened net selling had its influence on the main market, which saw as many as 0.12mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.28mn trade across 31 deals. The local retail investors continued to be bullish but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, whose trade turnover fell amidst higher volumes.The Islamic index was seen outperforming the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The Arab individuals were increasingly net profit takers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Total Return Index rose 0.46%, the All Share Index by 0.44% and the All Islamic Index by 0.53% in the main market. The banks and financial services sector index gained 0.6%, realty (0.6%), consumer goods and services (0.59%), transport (0.56%), telecom (0.15%) and industrials (0.03%); while insurance was down 0.11%.As many as 29 stocks gained, while 19 declined and five were unchanged. Major movers in the main market include Ahlibank Qatar, Baladna, Al Mahhar Holding, Qatar Islamic Bank, Qamco, Qatar Electricity and Water, Barwa, United Development Company, Milaha and Nakilat.Nevertheless, Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution, Estithmar Holding, Qatar National Cement, QLM and Medicare Group were among the shakers in the main bourse. The foreign institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.23mn compared with net sellers of QR1.36mn on Tuesday.The domestic funds’ net profit booking decreased significantly to QR2.61mn against QR49.5mn the previous day.However, the Arab individual investors’ net selling expanded noticeably to QR3.17mn compared to QR2.21mn on December 2. The Gulf retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR0.62mn against net buyers of QR0.41mn on Tuesday.The foreign individuals’ net profit booking increased perceptibly to QR0.41mn compared to QR0.07mn the previous day. The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.4mn against net buyers of QR7.71mn on December 2.The local retail investors’ net buying decreased substantially to QR6.98mn compared to QR44.87mn on Tuesday.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net buyers to the extent of QR0.15mn the previous day. The main market saw a 30% contraction in trade volumes to 95.74mn shares, 36% in value to QR271.39mn and 51% in deals to 14,811.In the venture market, a total of 0.04mn equities valued at QR0.09mn changed hands across 11 transactions.

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.

Australia's annual inflation rate rose to its highest level in 12 months in August, with headline inflation climbing to 3%, dashing expectations of an interest rate cut this month.Official data released Wednesday showed the monthly consumer price index (CPI) exceeded forecasts after headline inflation had reached 2.8% in the 12 months to July.However, trimmed mean annual inflation, the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) preferred gauge of core inflation, eased slightly to 2.6% in August from 2.7% the previous month.The RBA had anticipated a sharp pickup in inflation following the expiry of federal government electricity rebates, which left households paying the full cost of energy bills.Michelle Marquardt, head of prices statistics at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, said the annual increase in electricity costs was mainly driven by higher living expenses faced by households in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania in August 2025 compared with the same month in 2024.The inflation data, combined with last week's labor market report showing continued tightness in employment conditions, is expected to prompt the RBA's monetary policy board to keep its policy settings unchanged at its next meeting, maintaining a cautious stance on interest rates.

Gold prices remained steady on Monday as investors awaited a widely expected rate cut by the US Federal Reserve this week, while profit-taking and a firmer dollar kept gains in check. Spot gold held its ground at $3,642.65 per ounce.US gold futures for December delivery were down 0.2% at $3,680.20.Elsewhere, spot silver was up 0.1% at $42.20 per ounce, platinum gained 0.5% to $1,397.59, and palladium rose 0.2% to $1,197.88.