A higher than average demand, especially in the banking, transport, telecom and insurance counters led the 20-stock Qatar Index jump 0.61% to 10,204.5 points.
The foreign institutions continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated further to 4.46%.
About 69% of the traded constituents extended gains in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR3.66bn or 0.62% to QR529.7bn with midcap segments gaining the most.
The Arab institutions’ weakened net selling had its influence in the main market, which regained from an intraday low of 10,103 points.
The local retail investors’ substantially lower net profit booking had its say in the main bourse, which saw as many as 0.07mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.45mn trade across 37 deals.
The Arab individuals were seen net buyers, albeit at lower levels, in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
The Islamic index rose slower than the main barometer in the main bourse, which witnessed no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index gained 0.61%, the All Islamic Index by 0.34% and the All Share Index by 0.67% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.
The banks and financial services sector index shrank 1.04%, transport (0.86%), telecom (0.79%), insurance (0.79%), consumer goods and services (0.4%) and real estate (0.29%); while industrials was down 0.18%.
Major gainers in the main market included Qatari German Medical Devices, Qatar Oman Investment, Salam International Investment, Dlala, Nakilat, QNB and Qatar Islamic Bank. In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares appreciate in value.
Nevertheless, QLM, Qatar National Cement, Aamal Company, Lesha Bank, Milaha and Industries Qatar were among the shakers in the main market.
The Arab individual investors were net buyers to the tune of QR1.87mn against net sellers of QR12.7mn on December 19.
The Gulf institutions’ net selling weakened drastically to QR1.79mn compared to QR40.07mn the previous day.
The local retail investors’ net profit booking declined significantly to QR19.67mn against sellers QR57.08mn on Tuesday.
However, the foreign individuals’ net selling strengthened noticeably to QR5.8mn compared to QR0.5mn on December 19.
The domestic funds turned net sellers to the extent of QR5.11mn against net buyers of QR11.67mn the previous day.
The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking expanded perceptibly to QR1.26mn compared to QR0.19mn on Tuesday.
The foreign institutions’ net buying decreased substantially to QR31.75mn against QR98.87mn on December 19.
The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the ninth straight session.
Trade volumes in the main market tanked 29% to 146.22mn shares, value by 38% to QR443.3mn and deals by 35% to 16,323.
The venture market saw a 52% plunge in trade volumes to 0.27mn equities, 39% in value to QR0.35mn and 15% in transactions to 46.