The Qatar Stock Exchange Thursday gained about 13 points, paced mainly by the insurance and transport sectors. The Gulf institutions were increasingly net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.12% to 10,741.82 points.The market, which was rather skewed towards decliners, had recovered from an intraday low of 10,688 points.The domestic funds were seen net buyers in the main market, whose year-to-date gains increased to 0.57%.The Gulf retail investors turned bullish on the main bourse, whose capitalisation was up QR0.61bn or 0.1% to QR629.01bn, mainly on account of microcap segments.However, Qatari individuals were increasingly net sellers in the main market, which saw a total of 0.16mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.42mn changed hands across 11 deals.The Arab retail investors were also seen bearish in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Islamic index was seen declining vis-à-vis gains in the other indices in the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index rose 0.12% and the All Share Index by 0.25%, while the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) was down 0.05% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The insurance sector index shot up 3.48%, transport (2.48%), consumer goods and services (0.48%) and industrials (0.29%); while banks and financial services declined 0.29%, telecom (0.27%) and real estate (0.03%).Major movers in the main market included Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Inma Holding, Qatar Insurance, Widam Food, Doha Insurance, Qatari German Medical Devices, Mannai Corporation, Milaha and Nakilat.In the venture market, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.Nevertheless, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qatari Investors Group, Ezdan Holding, Qatar Oman Investment, Commercial Bank, Masraf Al Rayan and Qamco were among the losers in the main market.The Gulf institutions’ net buying increased substantially to QR34.56mn compared to QR15.19mn on May 10.The domestic funds turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.74mn against net profit takers of QR12.17mn the previous day.The Gulf retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR0.57mn compared with net sellers of QR2.48mn on Wednesday.However, the Qatari individuals’ net profit booking expanded considerably to QR17.54mn against QR6.87mn on May 10.The foreign institutions’ net selling strengthened perceptibly to QR9.56mn compared to QR8.29mn the previous day.The Arab individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR6.07mn against net buyers of QR11.8mn on Wednesday.The foreign retail investors were net profit takers to the extent of QR3.7mn compared with net buyers of QR2.86mn on May 10.The Arab institutions continued to have no major net exposure for the second straight session.The main market saw a 19% contraction in trade volumes to 219.99mn shares and 2% in value to QR594.91mn but on less than 1% rise in deals to 20,986.
May 11, 2023 | 07:01 PM