The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) Wednesday witnessed a rollercoaster ride with it finally settling almost flat despite buying interests in five of the seven sectors.
The foreign institutions were seen increasingly net sellers as the 20-stock Qatar Index was down mere 0.03% to 10,222.9 points, as investors were cautious ahead of the meeting of Opec+.The Gulf institutions turned net profit takers in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 4.29%.The banking and consumer goods sectors witnessed higher than average selling pressure had its influence in the main bourse, whose capitalisation, nevertheless, was up QR0.07bn or 0.01% to QR595.66bn with microcap segments gaining the most.The Arab individuals’ weakened net buying had its say in the main market, which regained from an intraday low of 10,189 points.The foreign retail investors lower net buying had its influence in the main bourse, which saw as many as 6,850 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan) valued at QR0.02mn trade across one deal.However, the local retail investors were increasingly net buyers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Islamic index was seen gaining vis-à-vis decline in the main barometer in the main bourse, which witnessed no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index was down 0.03%, while All Islamic Index was up 0.03%. The All Share Index was unchanged in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The banks and financial services sector index declined 0.32% and consumer goods and services 0.21%; while insurance gained 0.84%, industrials (0.45%), real estate (0.44%), telecom (0.41%) and transport (0.27%).Major losers in the main market included Meeza, Baladna, QIIB, Estithmar Holding, Al Khaleej Takaful and Lesha Bank.Nevertheless, Doha Insurance, Qatari German Medical Devices, Qatar National Cement, Salam International Investment, Qatari Investors Group, Industries Qatar, Barwa, Qatar Electricity and Water, Mazaya Qatar, Ooredoo and Nakilat were among the gainers in the main market. In the junior bourse, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares appreciate in value.The domestic institutions’ net selling increased considerably to QR9.88mn compared to QR0.43mn on November 21.The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR1.27mn against net buyers of QR1.24mn the previous day.The Arab individuals’ net buying declined substantially to QR1.41mn compared to QR6.21mn on Tuesday.The foreign individual investors’ net buying eased noticeably to QR0.11mn against QR5.14mn on November 21.The Gulf retail investors’ net buying fell marginally to QR0.01mn compared to QR0.75mn the previous day.However, the local retail investors’ net buying strengthened substantially to QR8.29mn against QR1.38mn on Tuesday.The foreign institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR1.33mn compared with net sellers of QR14.29mn on November 21.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the 14th consecutive session.Trade volumes in the main market fell 16% to 112.4mn shares, value by 22% to QR351.02mn and deals by 19% to 13,432.The venture market witnessed a 56% contraction in trade volumes to 0.24mn equities, 57% in value to QR0.37mn and 41% in transactions to 40.