Ahead of the US inflation data, which decides the extent of an expected interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve, the Qatar Stock Exchange on Monday fell more than 45 points and its capitalisation melted more than QR2bn.

Selling pressure, especially at the real estate and banking counters, led the 20-stock Qatar Index to decline 0.44% to 10,215.55 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,283 points.

The local retail investors were seen increasingly net profit takers in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened further to 5.68%.

About 55% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation eroded QR2.27bn or 0.38% to QR590.71bn on the back of small and microcap segments.

The domestic institutions’ weakened net buying had its influence in the main market, which saw 0.01mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan) valued at QR0.03mn trade across seven deals.

The Gulf individuals’ lower net buying also had its say in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.

The foreign institutions continued to be bearish but with lesser intensity in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.

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

The Total Return Index shed 0.39%, the All Share Index by 0.37% and the All Islamic Index by 0.38% in the main market.

The realty sector index declined 0.67%, banks and financial services (0.59%), industrials (0.43%), insurance (0.3%) and consumer goods and services (0.23%); while telecom and transport gained 0.56% and 0.47% respectively.

Major losers in the main bourse included Qatar Islamic Insurance, Meeza, QLM, Commercial Bank, Qatar Electricity and Water, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Industries Qatar, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding and Barwa.

In the venture market, both Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.

Nevertheless, Doha Bank, Estithmar Holding, Inma Holding, Vodafone Qatar, Aamal Company, Nakilat and Milaha were among the gainers in the main bourse.

The local retail investors’ net selling increased noticeably to QR3.09mn compared to QR2.52mn on September 8.

The domestic institutions’ net buying decreased substantially to QR0.39mn against QR12.53mn the previous day.

The Gulf institutions’ net buying weakened markedly to QR0.39mn compared to QR2.38mn on Sunday.

The Gulf individual investors’ net buying eased perceptibly to QR0.33mn against QR1.99mn on September 8.

However, the foreign individuals’ net buying strengthened significantly to QR2.62mn compared to QR0.4mn the previous day.

The Arab individual investors’ net buying expanded markedly to QR1.17mn against QR0.84mn on Sunday.

The foreign institutions’ net profit booking decreased drastically to QR1.81mn compared to QR15.62mn on September 8.

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

Trade volumes in the main market soared 20% to 107.52mn shares, value by 31% to QR255.52mn and transactions by 59% to 11,371.

In the venture market, trade volumes jumped almost 15-fold to 0.59mn equities and value by almost 14-fold to QR1.36mn on more than seven-fold growth in deals to 87.