The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Sunday opened the week weak with its key index losing more than 13 points on selling pressure especially in the insurance, consumer goods, realty and transport counters.
The domestic institutions’ weakened buying was visible as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.12% to 10,641.09 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,661 points. The market has yielded 0.66% returns year-to-date.
The local retail investors continued to be net sellers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, whose capitalisation was seem melting QR1.09bn or 0.16% to QR622.82bn on the back of small and microcap segments.
The foreign individuals were also seen net sellers but with lesser vigour in the main market, which saw as many as 0.01mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.03mn changed hands across five deals.
The foreign institutions were seen bullish in the main bourse, whose trade turnover fell amidst higher volumes.
The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the main barometer of of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.
The Gulf institutions’ bearish grip rather slackened in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
The Total Return Index fell 0.12% and the All Share Index by 0.13%, while the All Islamic Index fell 0.1% in the main market.
The insurance sector index declined 1.21%, consumer goods and services (0.48%), realty (0.35%), transport (0.25%) and banks and financial services (0.08%); while telecom gained 0.14% and industrials 0.03%.
As much as 50% of the traded constituents in the main bourse were in the red with major losers being Ezdan, Aamal Company, Qatar Insurance, Inma Holding, Qatar Oman Investment, Lesha Bank, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Qatar Electricity and Water and Nakilat. In the venture market, Al Mahhar Holding and Techno Q saw their shares depreciate in value.
Nevertheless, Estithmar Holding, Gulf International Services, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Doha Bank, Mekdam Holding, Mannai Corporation, Qamco and Gulf Warehousing were among the movers in the main bourse.
The domestic institutions’ net buying decreased drastically to QR17.85mn compared to QR48.3mn on February 20.
However, the foreign institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR1mn against net sellers of QR6.55mn the previous trading day.
The local retail investors’ net selling shrank significantly to QR7.4mn compared to QR25.62mn last Thursday.
The foreign individual investors’ net selling declined noticeably to QR0.93mn against QR3.27mn on February 20.
The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking eased marginally to QR6.84mn compared to QR6.94mn the previous trading day.
The Arab individual investors’ net selling decreased perceptibly to QR2.55mn against QR4.24mn last Thursday.
The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking was down marginally to QR1.13mn compared to QR1.93mn on February 20.
The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net buyers to the tune of QR0.25mn the previous day.
Trade volumes in the main market rose 12% to 143.78mn shares, while value fell 11% to QR330.56mn and deals by 21% to 11,217.
The venture market saw more than 225-fold jump in trade volumes to 4.49mn equities and more than 217-fold in value to QR13.01mn on more than quadrupled transactions to 33.
The domestic institutions’ weakened buying was visible as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.12% to 10,641.09 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,661 points
