The Qatar Stock Exchange on Sunday opened the week weak with its key index losing 62 points on an across the board selling, especially in the telecom and banking counters.

The foreign funds were seen increasingly net sellers as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.6% to 10,261.02 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,323 points.

The domestic institutions’ weakened net buying had its influence on the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 5.26%.

About 74% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation eroded QR4.19bn or 0.7% to QR592.98bn on the back of mid and small cap segments.

The local retail investors turned bearish in the main market, which saw 0.01mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.03mn trade across five deals.

However, the Gulf institutions were seen net buyers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.

The Gulf individuals were increasingly bullish in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.

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

The Total Return Index shed 0.6%, the All Share Index by 0.63% and the All Islamic Index by 0.54% in the main market.

The telecom sector index tanked 1.14%, banks and financial services (0.76%), real estate (0.58%), industrials (0.55%), transport (0.44%)m insurance (0.29%) and consumer goods and services (0.06%).

Major losers in the main bourse included QLM, Dlala, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Inma Holding, QNB, Qatar German Medical Devices, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qamco, Mazaya Qatar and Ooredoo. In the venture market, both Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares depreciate in value.

Nevertheless, Lesha Bank, Aamal Company, Qatar Islamic Insurance, QIIB and Qatari Investors Group were among the gainers in the bourse.

The foreign institutions’ net selling increased perceptibly to QR15.62mn compared to QR14.92mn on September 5.

The local retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR2.52mn against net buyers of QR11.6mn last Thursday.

The domestic funds’ net buying decreased markedly to QR12.53mn compared to QR16.02mn the previous trading day.

However, the Gulf institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR2.38mn against net sellers of QR7.87mn on September 5.

The Gulf individual investors’ net buying expanded noticeably to QR1.99mn compared to QR0.65mn last Thursday.

The Arab retail investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.84mn against net profit takers of QR4.98mn the previous trading day.

The foreign individual investors were net buyers to the extent of QR0.4mn compared with net sellers of QR0.5mn on September 5.

The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the sixth straight session.

Trade volumes in the main market declined 25% to 89.52mn shares, value by 25% to QR194.62mn and transactions by 34% to 7,139.

The venture market saw 94% plunge in trade volumes to 0.04mn equities, 94% in value to QR0.1mn and 85% in deals to 12.