The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Tuesday declined more than 28 points on selling pressure especially in the telecom and real estate sectors.

The foreign institutions were seen increasingly into net selling as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.27% to 10,425.3 points, although it reached an intraday high of 10,461 points.

As much as 72% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR2.19bn or 0.35% to QR617.39bn primarily on the back of mid and microcap segments.

The Arab individuals were increasingly net profit takers in the main market, which saw as many as 0.03mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.08mn change hands across seven deals.

The Islamic index was seen declining faster the other indices of the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decrease.

The foreign retail investors turned bearish in the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.

The domestic institutions’ weakened net buying had its influence in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.

The Total Return Index lost 0.27%, the All Islamic Index by 0.28% and the All Share Index by 0.25% in the main market.

The telecom sector index tanked 1.43%, realty (0.59%), banks and financial services (0.25%), consumer goods and services (0.25%), transport (0.2%) and industrials (0.03%); while insurance gained 0.29%.

Major shakers in the main bourse included Ooredoo, Ezdan, Salam International Investment, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Barwa and Mazaya Qatar. In the venture market, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.

Nevertheless, Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution, Inma Holding, Estithmar Holding, Qatar Insurance and Qamco were among the gainers in the main market. In the junior bourse, Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.

The foreign institutions’ net profit booking increased noticeably to QR13.37mn compared to QR8.81mn on November 18.

The Arab individual investors’ net selling expanded markedly to QR7.29mn against QR0.64mn the previous day.

The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking grew notably to QR2.06mn compared to QR0.53mn on Monday.

The foreign retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.57mn against net buyers of QR2.46mn on November 18.

The domestic institutions’ net buying decreased substantially to QR12.85mn compared to QR24.02mn the previous day.

However, the Qatari individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR12.46mn against net sellers of QR12.77mn on Monday.

The Gulf retail investors’ net profit booking weakened perceptibly to QR2.05mn compared to QR3.75mn on November 18.

The Arab institutions had not major net exposure for the second straight session.

Trade volumes in the main market were down 1% to 107.71mn shares, value by 16% to QR257.22mn and transactions by 23% to 10,184.

In the venture market, trade volumes shot up 36-fold to 2.88mn equities and value by almost 34-fold to QR7.19mn on more than seven-fold jump in deals to 124.