The bullish momentum continued in the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) for the second straight session, ahead of the US and Chinese economic data, as the index gained more than 16 points and capitalisation added QR1.66bn.

The local retail investors were seen net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index gained 0.16% to 10,098.52 points, recovering from an intraday low of 10,054 points.

The Arab individuals were seen increasingly net buyers in the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated to 6.8%.

The Gulf institutions were seen bullish, albeit at lower levels, in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added 0.29% to QR583.44bn on the back of small cap segments.

The Arab funds turned net buyers in the main market, which saw 4,737 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.04mn trade across four deals.

The foreign institutions’ weakened net profit booking had its influence in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.

The Gulf retail investors’ lower net selling also had its say in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.

The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices in the main bourse, whose trade turnover grew amidst lower volumes.

The Total Return Index rose 0.28%, the All Islamic Index by 0.04% and the All Share Index by 0.32% in the main market.

The insurance sector index shot up 1.72%, banks and financial services (0.59%), consumer goods and services (0.34%) and industrials (0.26%); while transport declined 0.67%, real estate (0.66%) and telecom (0.64%).

Major gainers in the main bourse included QIIB, Qatar Insurance, QLM, Dukhan Bank, Mannai Corporation and Doha Insurance. In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares appreciate in value.

Nevertheless, 66% of the traded constituents were in the red with major losers being Qatar National Cement, Woqod, Vodafone Qatar, Inma Holding, Qatar Oman Investment, Qamco and Barwa. In the juniour bourse, Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.

The Qatari individual investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR2.26mn against net sellers of QR5.37mn on August 11.

The Arab individuals’ net buying increased noticeably to QR1.82mn compared to QR0.84mn the previous day.

The Arab institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR0.08mn against no major net exposure on Sunday.

The foreign institutions’ net profit booking declined markedly to QR2.61mn compared to QR4.51mn on August 11.

The Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.22mn against net profit takers of QR1.48mn the previous day.

The Gulf individual investors’ net selling decreased marginally to QR0.11mn compared to QR0.49mn on Sunday.

However, the foreign retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR1.79mn against net buyers of QR1.4mn on August 11.

The domestic institutions’ net buying shrank significantly to QR0.08mn compared to QR9.61mn the previous day.

Trade volumes in the main market fell 16% to 99.48mn shares, while value gained 15% to QR254.99mn and transactions by 43% to 12,069.

The venture market saw more than quadrupled trade volumes to 2.02mn equities and value quadrupled to QR4.4mn on almost tripled deals to 185.