The insurance, telecom, industrials and real estate counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure in the main market this week which saw QSE allow more companies eligible for margin trading, market making, liquidity provision and covered short selling.
As much as 80% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse this week which saw Qatar's trade surplus rise 8.7% to QR21.36bn this August against the previous month's levels owing to faster growth in shipments to Asian markets.
The Gulf individuals were seen increasingly into net selling in the main bourse this week which saw the country's producer price index jump 4.5% month-on-month in August on noticeable jump in the indices of hydrocarbons and certain manufactured items such as refined petroleum products, chemicals, cement and beverages.
The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the other indices in the main market this week which saw Estithmar Holding sign a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan to study new investments in the healthcare sector and potential areas of co-operation medical tourism and healthcare services in the central Asian country.
The domestic institutions’ substantially weakened net buying had its influence in the main bourse this week which saw a total of 0.04mn Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored exchange-traded fund QATR worth QR0.08mn trade across 12 deals.
However, the Gulf institutions were increasingly net buyers in the main market this week which saw as many as 0.27mn Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR2.64mn change hands across 64 transactions.
Market capitalisation eroded QR10.46bn or 1.73% to QR593.49bn on the back of large and midcap segments this week which saw the industrials and banks together constitute about 65% of the total trade volume in the main bourse.
The Total Return Index shed 1.85%, the All Islamic Index by 2.02% and the All Share Index by 1.7% this week, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
The insurance sector index tanked 3.93%, telecom (3.15%), industrials (2.38%), realty (1.79%), banks and financial services (1.47%), consumer goods and services (0.51%) and transport (0.13%) this week which saw no trading of treasury bills.
Major losers in the main market included Al Khaleej Takaful, Dlala, Qatar Insurance, Qatari German Medical Devices, Gulf International Services, Commercial Bank, Doha Bank, Lesha Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Dukhan Bank, Medicare Group, Baladna, Industries Qatar, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Mazaya Qatar, Ezdan and Qatari Investors Group. In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value this week.
Nevertheless, Qatar Oman Investment, Doha Insurance, Meeza, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Aamal Company, Ahlibank Qatar and Widam Food were among the gainers in the main market.
The foreign funds were net sellers to the tune of QR90.99mn against net buyers of QR38.55mn the week ended September 28.
The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking increased noticeably to QR5.24mn compared to QR2.2mn a week ago.
The domestic institutions’ net buying weakened substantially to QR14.47mn against QR42.67mn the previous week.
However, the Gulf funds’ net buying grew drastically to QR37.43mn compared to QR6.25mn the week ended September 28.
The local retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR36.04mn against net sellers of QR61.41mn a week ago.
The foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR6.99mn compared with net sellers of QR14.75mn the previous week.
The Arab individual investors were net buyers to the extent of QR1.32mn against net sellers of QR9mn the week ended September 28.
The Arab institutions had no major net exposure compared with net profit takers of QR0.11mn a week ago.
The main market witnessed a 1% slump in trade volumes to 896mn shares, 13% in value to QR2.22bn and 12% in deals to 75,060 this week.
In the venture market, trade volumes plunged 15% to 3.67mn equities, whereas value rose 6% to QR6.1mn and transactions by 13% to 477.
