The domestic funds were seen increasingly into net buying as the 20-stock Qatar Index gained more than five points or 0.05% to 10,576.82 points.
The foreign institutions’ weakened net selling had its influence in the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated to 0.98%.
The Arab individuals’ lower net profit booking was also visible in the main bourse, which saw the index touch an intraday high of 10,620 points.
The Gulf institutions continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the main market, whose capitalisation however gained QR0.12bn or 0.02% to QR621.46bn with microcap segments gaining the most.
The local retail investors turned bearish in the main bourse, which saw a total of 9,235 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.05mn changed hands across three deals.
The Gulf individuals were net profit takers in the main market, 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 was up 0.05% and All Share Index by 0.02%, while Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) fell 0.14% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover fell amidst higher volumes.
The telecom sector index shot up 1.05%, insurance (0.88%), banks and financial services (0.11%) and consumer goods and services (0.02%); while real estate shed 1.06%, transport (0.74%) and industrials (0.13%).
Major gainers in the main market included Beema, Widam Food, Inma Holding, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Qatari German Medical Devices, Commercial Bank, QIIB, Qatar Insurance and Ooredoo.
Nevertheless, Al Khaleej Takaful, Alijarah Holding, Dlala, Masraf Al Rayan, Mazaya Qatar, Medicare Group, Qatari Investors Group, Gulf International Services, Qamco and United Development Company were among the losers in the main bourse. In the venture market, Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.
The domestic institutions’ net buying increased significantly to QR34.8mn compared to QR2.62mn on August 17.
The foreign funds’ net selling declined substantially to QR9.97mn against QR27.01mn the previous trading day.
The Arab individual investors’ net selling eased perceptibly to QR2.36mn compared to QR4.34mn last Thursday.
However, the local retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR23.44mn against net buyers of QR7.65mn on August 17.
The Gulf individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR2.24mn compared with net buyers of QR0.89mn the previous trading day.
The foreign retail investors’ net profit booking strengthened markedly to QR2.2mn against QR0.08mn last Thursday.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying weakened considerably to QR5.41mn compared to QR20.27mn on August 17.
The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the second straight session.
Trade volumes in the main market were up 4% to 140.57mn shares, while value shrank 25% to QR325.25mn and deals by 38 to 10,623.
The venture market saw a 43% contraction in trade volumes to 2.09mn equities, 35% in value to QR5.39mn and 48% in transactions to 332.
