The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) yesterday entered the 16th consecutive day of bullish run, having gained more than 55 points on the back of higher than average demand, especially in consumer goods and banking counters.

The foreign individuals turned net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.57% to 9,827.42 points, although it touched an intraday high of 9,866 points.

The Gulf retail investors were seen net buyers in the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated to 9.26%.

The domestic institutions continued to be net buyers but with lesser vigour in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR2.74bn or 0.48% to QR568.73bn on the back of small cap segments.

The local retail investors’ weakened net profit booking had its influence in the main market, which saw 0.1mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.27mn trade across 16 deals.

The Gulf funds’ lower net selling also had its say in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.

The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.

The Total Return Index gained 0.57%, the All Share Index by 0.55% and the All Islamic Index by 0.08% in the main market.

The consumer goods and services sector index shot up 1.22%, banks and financial services (1%) and industrials (0.39%); while telecom declined 1.11%, transport (0.41%), realty (0.32%) and insurance (0.28%).

As much as 54% of the traded constituents extended gains with major movers being Commercial Bank, Dlala, Doha Bank, Woqod, Qatar Oman Investment and QNB.

Nevertheless, Al Khaleej Takaful, Widam Food, Milaha, Ooredoo, QIIB, Mannai Corporation and Gulf International Services were among the shakers in the main bourse. In the venture market, Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.

The foreign retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR3.69mn compared with net sellers of QR5.06mn on June 24.

The Gulf individual investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.55mn against net sellers of QR0.87mn the previous day.

The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking declined substantially to QR3.94mn compared to QR20.49mn on Monday.

The Qatari individual investors’ net selling weakened significantly to QR4.97mn against QR17.42mn on June 24.

The Arab retail investors’ net buying decreased perceptibly to QR0.7mn compared to QR2.39mn the previous day.

However, the Arab institutions were net sellers to the extent of QR0.46mn against net buyers of QR0.27mn on Monday.

The domestic institutions’ net buying weakened drastically to QR4.18mn compared to QR30.33mn on June 24.

The foreign institutions’ net buying shrank noticeably to QR0.65mn against QR15.63mn the previous day.

Trade volumes in the main market soared 23% to 148.87mn shares, value by 8% to QR427.34mn and transactions by 10% to 16,437.

The venture market saw as many as 0.11mn equities valued at QR0.18mn changed hands across 20 deals.