The Gulf institutions were seen increasingly into net profit booking as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.54% to 10,131.32 points with investors awaiting the future course of action by the US Federal Reserve on interest rates.
The Qatar Stock Exchange Monday declined about 55 points on the back of selling pressure, especially in the banks, real estate, insurance, telecom and consumer goods
sectors.The Gulf institutions were seen increasingly into net profit booking as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.54% to 10,131.32 points with investors awaiting the future course of action by the US Federal Reserve on interest rates.The Arab retail investors were seen bearish in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened further to 5.15%.More than 79% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR3.34bn or 0.56% to QR598.19bn with mid and small cap segments taking the toll most.The domestic institutions’ weakened net buying had its influence in the main market, which however recovered from an intraday low of 10,074 points.The foreign retail investors’ lower net buying also had its say in the main bourse, which saw a total of 0.31mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR1.23mn changed hands across 64 deals.However, the local individuals turned bullish in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the other indices in the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index shed 0.545%, All Share Index by 0.62% and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.5% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover grew amidst lower volumes.The banks and financial services sector index tanked 1.15%, realty (0.95%), insurance (0.65%), telecom (0.64%), consumer goods and services (0.59%) and transport (0.18%); while industrials gained 0.52%.Major shakers in the main market included Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Baladna, Qatar Oman Investment, Alijarah Holding, Doha Insurance, QNB, Qatar Islamic Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Meeza, Barwa and Ezdan.Nevertheless, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Industries Qatar, Estithmar Holding, Al Meera and Gulf Warehousing were among the gainers in the main bourse. In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares appreciate in value.The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking increased significantly to QR25.96mn compared to QR10.26mn on September 3.The Arab retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR10.25mn against net buyers of QR4.38mn the previous day.The domestic institutions’ net buying decreased substantially to QR4.28mn compared to QR33.47mn on Sunday.The foreign individual investors’ net buying shrank noticeably to QR0.76mn against QR3.47mn on September 3.However, the local individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR25.5mn compared with net sellers of QR9.72mn the previous day.The foreign institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR6.27mn against net profit takers of QR21.7mn on Sunday.The Gulf retail investors’ net buying strengthened perceptibly to QR1.41mn compared to QR0.38mn on September 3.The Arab institutions continued to have no major net exposure for the fourth consecutive session.Trade volumes in the main market plunged 13% to 146.53mn shares, whereas value was up 5% to QR439.08mn and deals by 28% to 18,582.The venture market saw more than quadrupled trade volumes to 2.58mn equities and value grew more than five-fold to QR5.51mn on more than quadrupled transactions to 490.