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Doha's listed entities reported a cumulative net profit of QR37.42bn during the first nine months (9M) of 2023 as the insurance and telecom sectors witnessed robust expansion in their net earnings, according to the data compiled by the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE).However, the net earnings of the listed companies declined 7.69% year-on-year during January-September 2023 against a 19.29% growth the previous year period, reflecting the challenging macroeconomic environment of geopolitical uncertainties and growing concerns on hawkish monetary policies.The 9M-2023 net profitability contraction was mainly on account of weakened earnings in the industrials, consumer goods and real estate sectors as well as slowdown in the net profit growth in the transport and banking sectors.The banking and financial services, and industrials sectors together contributed more than 77% of the cumulative net profits during 9M-2023.The industrials sector, which has 10 listed constituents, saw a 40.9% year-on-year plunge in net profitability to QR7.01bn against a 24.4% surge in the year-ago period. The sector contributed 18.73% to the overall net profitability during 9M-2023 against 30.06% during 9M-2022.Within the industrials sector, the country’s underlying firms that have direct linkages with the hydrocarbons sectors saw their earnings growth weaken substantially owing to the subdued demand across most commodity sectors.The consumer goods and services sector, which has 10 listed entities, saw its total net profit tank 40.9% year-on-year to QR1.1bn at the end of nine-month ended September 2023 against a 25.78% growth the previous-year period. The sector contributed 2.94% to the overall net profitability in the review period against 4.19% during 9M-2022.The realty segment, which has four listed entities, saw total net earnings decline 4.12% year-on-year to QR1.25bn during 9M-2023 compared to a 12.08% increase the year-ago period. The sector constituted 3.34% to the overall net profitability in the review period compared to 3.3% during 9M-2022.However, the insurance sector, which has seven companies, registered a 334.92% annual surge in net earnings to QR0.85bn against 79.08% shrinkage the year-ago period. The sector contributed 2.27% to the overall net profitability during the review period against 0.43% during January-September 2022.The proposed mandatory health insurance and the substantial expansion planned in the North Field are expected to augur well for the insurance sector in the future, according to reports.The telecom sector, which has two constituents, reported a net profit of QR3.06bn, which was 8.18% of the total net profits during 9M-2023 compared to 6.04% the previous-year period.The transport sector, which has three listed constituents, saw total net profits grow 3.11% year-on-year to QR2.23bn compared to a 18.67% jump during the corresponding period of 2022. The sector's net profit constituted 5.96% to the total net profit of the listed companies during 9M-2023 against 5.48% the year-ago period.The banks and financial services sector, which has 13 listed entities, reported a 4.74% year-on-year jump in total net profit to QR21.94bn against a 4.9% expansion the comparable period of 2022. The sector contributed 58.61% to the total net profits of the listed companies in January-September 2023 compared to 50.46% during 9M-2022.

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Tuesday saw strong selling pressure at the industrials and real estate counters but robust buying in the telecom sector led the overall index.text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[96490]**settle marginally higher.The Gulf institutions were increasingly net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index was up five points or 0.05% to 9,523.53 points.The domestic institutions were also increasingly bullish in the main market, whose year-to-date losses declined to 10.84%.The foreign funds’ weakened net selling had its influence on the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR0.85bn or 0.15% to QR561.64bn with microcap segments gaining the most.The local retail investors continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the main market, whose index regained from an intraday low of 9,457 points and it touched an intraday high of 9,597 points.The Islamic index shrank vis-à-vis gains in the other indices in the main bourse, which saw as many as 4,472 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.01mn trade across three deals.The Arab individuals were seen net profit takers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The foreign retail investors were seen squaring off their position in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index was up 0.05% and the All Share Index by 0.17%, while the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) was down 0.02% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The telecom sector index shot up 4.63%, banks and financial services (0.74%), insurance (0.54%) and consumer goods and services (0.03%); while industrials declined 1.6%, realty (1.33%) and transport (0.43%).Major gainers in the main market included Widam Food, Qatari German Medical Devices, Ooredoo, Meeza, Vodafone Qatar and QNB.In the venture market, Mahhar Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.Nevertheless, more than 55% of the traded constituents were in the red with major losers being Al Meera, Beema, Ezdan, Mannai Corporation, Gulf International Services, Doha Bank, Qatar National Cement, Industries Qatar, Barwa, Milaha and Gulf Warehousing. In the junior bourse, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.The Gulf institutions’ net buying increased substantially to QR30.32mn compared to QR15.74mn on October 30.The domestic institutions’ net buying strengthened significantly to QR28.4mn against QR14.16mn the previous day.The foreign funds’ net profit booking decreased noticeably to QR54.05mn compared to QR64.49mn on Monday.However, the Arab individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR7.76mn against net buyers of QR7.53mn on October 30.The foreign retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR1.98mn compared with net buyers of QR1.87mn the previous day.The Gulf individuals turned net profit takers to the tune of QR0.11mn against net buyers of QR0.03mn on Monday.The local retail investors’ net buying weakened drastically to QR5.17mn compared to QR25.16mn on October 30.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the sixth straight session.Trade volumes in the main market tanked 27% to 259.52mn shares, value by 17% to QR683.18mn and deals by 6% to 24,356.The venture market witnessed a 25% jump in trade volumes to 2.17mn equities, 23% jump in value to QR3.28mn and 16% in transactions to 178.

Ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s meeting on the interest rates, the Qatar Stock Exchange Monday gained more than 159 points on an across the board buying, especially .text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px; }@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;} } **media[95922]** in the realty, telecom and transport sectors. The local retail investors were increasingly into net buying as the 20-stock Qatar Index shot up 1.7% to 9,518.55 points. The Gulf institutions were seen bullish in the main market, whose year-to-date losses declined to 10.88%. About 88% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR10.51bn or 1.91% to QR560.79bn with mid and small cap segments gaining the most. The domestic institutions were seen net buyers in the main market, whose index regained from an intraday low of 9,385 points and touched an intraday high of 9,593 points. The Islamic index was gaining slower than the other indices in the main bourse, which saw as many as 0.02mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.16mn trade across 15 deals. The foreign individuals were increasingly net buyers in the main market, which saw as many as 0.13mn sovereign bonds valued at QR1.29bn changes across three transactions. However, the foreign funds were seen increasingly squaring off their position in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The Total Return Index gained 1.17%, the All Share Index by 1.69% and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 1.62% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase. The realty sector index zoomed 3.84%, followed by telecom (3.45%), transport (2.71%), consumer goods and services (1.57%), banks and financial services (1.57%), insurance (1.57%) and industrials (1.02%). Major gainers in the main market included Ooredoo, Qamco, Ezdan, Commercial Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Mazaya Qatar, Gulf International Services, Baladna, Masraf Al Rayan, Nakilat, Widam Food, Qatari German Medical Devices, Mannai Corporation, Qatar Oman Investment, Dlala, Alijarah Holding and Al Meera. In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares appreciate in value. Nevertheless, QLM, Lesha Bank, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Aamal Company and Qatar Electricity and Water were among the losers in the main bourse. The local retail investors’ net buying increased noticeably to QR25.16mn compared to QR10.49mn on October 29. The Gulf institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR15.74mn against net profit takers of QR0.7mn on Sunday. The domestic funds were net buyers to the extent of QR14.16mn compared with net sellers of QR6.94mn the previous day. The foreign individual investors’ net buying strengthened perceptibly to QR1.87mn against QR0.01mn on October 29. However, the foreign institutions’ net selling increased substantially to QR64.49mn compared to QR13.13mn on Sunday. The Arab individual investors’ net buying decreased markedly to QR7.53mn against QR9.25mn the previous day. The Gulf retail investors’ net buying weakened marginally to QR0.03mn compared to QR1.02mn on October 29. The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the fifth straight session. Trade volumes in the main market soared 69% to 353.55mn shares, value by 78% to QR826.41mn and deals by 70% to 26,021. The venture market witnessed a 39% contraction in trade volumes to 1.74mn equities, 42% jump in value to QR2.66mn and 40% in transactions to 153.

The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Sunday launched digital assets lab, as part of Doha’s efforts to accelerate the development of digital ecosystem and provide a platform for translating innovative ideas and solutions into real-world applications across industries.The lab, powered by the Qatar Central Bank (QCB), is the inaugural programme to be launched under Innovation Dome, an innovative platform that fosters transformative initiatives, aiming to position the country as a leader in the digital realm.The lab will foster open innovation in Qatar through ‘proof-of-concept and proof-of-value’, accelerating the growth of Qatar's digital sector in line with the vision to establish Doha as a global financial and commercial hub by 2030.Within this space, innovation, research, and development are focused on cultivating promising digital concepts within the domain of digital assets and distributed ledger technology. The aim is to transform these concepts into viable cutting-edge technologies that can be practically applied across various industries."This initiative will create a favourable environment for the diversification of digital assets, increasing business competitiveness, and encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation," said HE the QCB Governor Sheikh Bandar bin Mohamed bin Saoud al-Thani.The initiative will also support the development of other economic sectors by leveraging developments in digital technologies across multiple fields beyond the financial technology realm, he added.The launch of the lab marks the commencement of the application process for the inaugural innovation challenge cycle, inviting fintech companies and industry stakeholders to engage in exploration and collaboration.The QFC's initiative is one of the key objectives of the QCB's fintech strategy launched in March 2023 in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, according to him.The QCB has consistently been at the forefront of pioneering initiatives in the financial sector. Its support for the lab reaffirms its commitment to embracing innovative technologies that drive economic transformation.“With the rapid evolution of technology, digital transformation has become a fundamental aspect of every sphere of modern life, from personal interactions to industrial operations and global governance. The establishment of the Innovation Dome, housing the Digital Assets Lab, puts Qatar at the forefront of innovation and on an accelerated path to integrating disruptive technologies into the market," said Yousuf Mohamed al-Jaida, QFC Authority CEO.The dome's mission is to foster a dynamic and technologically advanced landscape in Qatar, while the lab will serve as a catalyst for pioneering financial solutions, further enhancing Qatar's status as a prominent global commercial centre, he said.Nasser al-Taweel, deputy chief executive officer and chief legal officer, QFC, appreciated the key entities which invested in developing the fintech sector for their efforts in creating a comprehensive system with robust regulatory and legislative frameworks for digital assets and advanced infrastructure that support and enable companies to enhance their performance and services.Michael Rayan, chief executive officer, QFC Regulatory Authority, said the lab will create a platform for collaboration that is essential to unlocking the potential of new technologies, which will ensure that the transformative innovations establish the trust and confidence among investors and customers."The engagement that the Digital Assets Lab will bring directly with entrepreneurs and the financial sector will also be an important input into our public consultation on the legal and regulatory framework for digital assets, which was issued on October 4,” he said.The framework has been designed to develop a legal and regulatory framework for digital assets through the establishment of a tokenisation framework in the QFC that will provide legal certainty and a trusted technology environment for digital assets.

The Qatar Stock Exchange Sunday opened the week on a stronger note with its key index gaining 40 points on the back of buying interests, especially at the transport, real estate.text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[95601]**and insurance counters.The Arab individuals were increasingly net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.43% to 9,359.51 points.The Gulf retail investors were also increasingly net buyers in the main market, whose year-to-date losses were at to 12.37%.The foreign individual investors turned bullish, albeit at lower levels, in the main bourse, whose capitalisation was down QR0.21% to QR550.28bn with microcap segments losing the most.However, losers outnumbered gainers in the main market, whose index regained from an intraday low of 9,296 points.The Islamic index was outperforming the other indices in the main bourse, which saw as many as 0.02mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.12mn trade across 18 deals.The foreign institutions’ weakened net selling pressure had its influence on the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The domestic and Gulf institutions were seen net profit takers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index gained 0.43%, the All Share Index by 0.2% and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 1.16% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The transport sector index shot up 1.69%, realty (1.35%), insurance (0.86%), telecom (0.18%) and banks and financial services (0.07%); while consumer goods and services declined 0.59% and industrials 0.04%.Major gainers in the main market included Masraf Al Rayan, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Zad Holding, Lesha Bank, Gulf International Services, QIIB, Widam Food, Estithmar Holding, United Development Company, Milaha and Nakilat.Nevertheless, Mannai Corporation, Beema, QLM, QNB, Industries Qatar, Woqod, Meeza, Mazaya Qatar and Gulf Warehousing were among the losers in the main bourse.In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value.The Arab individual investors’ net buying increased significantly to QR9.25mn compared to QR0.43mn on October 26.The Gulf retail investors’ net buying strengthened markedly to QR1.02mn against QR0.11mn the previous trading day.The foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.01mn compared with net sellers of QR0.53mn last Thursday.The foreign institutions’ net selling weakened substantially to QR13.13mn against QR69.11mn on October 26.However, the domestic funds were net sellers to the extent of QR6.94mn compared with net buyers of QR25.22mn the previous trading day.The Gulf institutions turned net profit takers to the tune of QR0.7mn against net buyers of QR17.97mn last Thursday.The local retail investors’ net buying shrank perceptibly to QR10.49mn compared to QR25.89mn on October 26.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the fourth straight session.Trade volumes in the main market soared 37% to 209.62mn shares and value by less than 1% to QR465.11mn, while deals fell 14% to 15,274.The venture market witnessed a 4% slump in trade volumes to 2.83mn equities but on 2% jump in value to QR4.61mn and 11% in transactions to 256.

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) will shift to a shortened settlement period 'T+2' from the present 'T+3", effective from January 2, 2024, a move that will help investors receive their cash faster and substantially reduce the operational and counterparty risks."During the period from now until the implementation of the shortening process, both QSE and Edaa will make necessary updates to the rules and procedures related to the settlement reduction process," QSE confirmed the date in a communique.The endeavour is to follow the best international practices in the global financial markets in order to provide the best ways and functions to enhance the efficiency of Qatar’s securities market, it said.The settlement cycle has remained at trade date plus three business days (T+3) in Qatar, where the global fund managers have been eyeing the fastest growing economy due to its strong macro fundamentals, especially after Qatar unveiled plans to enhance its liquefied natural gas production to 126mn tonnes per annum by 2027, which offered indirect benefits to the private sector as well.The ‘T+2’ settlement cycle ensures seamless international fund management, which in turn, helps in enhancing the competitive edge of the Qatari capital market, market sources said.In 2014, most markets in Europe transitioned to T+2 settlement cycle, while the settlement cycle in the US is T+2 for equities and corporate bonds and T+0 or T+1 for the money market instruments and government securities, and Hong Kong has 'T+2' cycle.A key industry demand has been to shorten the settlement cycle in view of Qatar having the necessary enablers such as the market and technological infrastructure, especially after trading started in new platform.In June this year, the QSE moved into a new and high performing trading platform built on the same advanced technology used by many global capital markets.A cost-benefit analysis of the shortened settlement cycle has found that major bourses across the world favoured shortened settlement period as it helped reduce clearing and settlement risk as well as the overall costs for the securities' industry, thus making the market safer.The shortened settlement cycle would help improve market efficiency as the reinvestment becomes faster, they said, adding the reduction in the initial margins and the shortened settlement cycle are ought to improve the liquidity.The significant improvements in straight through processing and the underlying technology over the last few years call for a shortened settlement cycle, which at this point of time greatly improves volume and liquidity in the system, market experts said.

The fears of increasing geopolitical volatilities and its wider contagion as well as the US rate concerns had their profound impact on the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), which saw its key index plummet 482 points and capitalisation erode QR28bn this week.An across the board selling – particularly in the telecom, consumer goods and industrials – led the 20-stock Qatar Index plunge 482 points this week which saw Industries Qatar (IQ) report net profit of QR3.29bn in the first nine months (9M) of 2023.More than 78% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market this week which saw a Kamco Invest report that total value of contracts awarded in Qatar reached $2.1bn at the end of third quarter of 2023.The foreign institutions were seen net profit takers in the main bourse this week which saw QIIB and Doha Bank report net profit of QR976.9mn and QR932.91mn respectively in 9M-2023.However, the domestic funds were increasingly into net buying in the main market this week which saw Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding’s 9M net profit at QR848.84mn.The local retail investors turned bullish in the main bourse this week which saw Vodafone Qatar and Ezdan report net profit of QR392.12mn and QR321.02mn respectively in 9M-2023.On the negative side, only below the strong support line at 9,585 points could shift the tone to a deeper bearish move and lead to 9,000 points, a Kamco Invest technical analysis said, adding medium-term and long-term investors can re-enter the market at levels higher than 11,150 points and 11,270 points, respectively.The Gulf institutions were seen net buyers in the main market this week, which saw Aamal Company and Gulf Warehousing register 9M net profit at QR265.44mn and QR167.87mn respectively.The Arab institutions continued to be net profit takers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse this week which Beema report net profit of QR52.93mn in 9M-2023.The Islamic index declined faster than the other indices in the main market this week which saw a total of 0.05mn Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored exchange-traded fund QATR worth QR0.1mn trade across 30 deals.The Gulf individuals continued to be net sellers but with lesser vigour in the main bourse this week which saw as many as 0.01mn Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR0.14mn change hands across 29 transactions.Market capitalisation was seen eroding QR28.05bn or 4.85% to QR550.49bn on the back of large and midcap segments this week which saw the industrials and banks together constitute more than 60% of the total trade volume in the main market.The Total Return Index tanked 4.92%, the All Share Index by 4.61% and the All Islamic Index by 5.23% this week, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The telecom sector plunged 6.22%, consumer goods and services (5.99%), industrials (5.3%), banks and financial services (4.37%), transport (3.71%), insurance (3.15%) and real estate (2.19%) this week which saw no trading of treasury bills.Major shakers in the main market included IQ, MPHC, QNB, Qatar Insurance, Ooredoo, Qatar Islamic Bank, Ezdan, Mannai Corporation, Mazaya Qatar, Widam Food, Qamco, Qatari German Medical Devices, Inma Holding, Milaha, Vodafone Qatar, Dukhan Bank and Baladna. In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value this week which saw Baladna sign pact with Suez Canal Authority.Nevertheless, Doha Bank, Beema, Lesha Bank, QLM, Qatar National Cement, Aamal Company and Gulf Warehousing were among the gainers in the main bourse this week which saw Mahhar Holding disclose that its subsidiary Petrotec report 45% increase in bookings for locally made products since March 2023 as it views the North Field Expansion with optimism.The foreign funds were net sellers to the tune of QR113.43mn against net buyers of QR59.92mn the week ended October 19.However, the domestic institutions’ net buying increased substantially to QR67.13mn compared to QR37.35mn a week ago.The local retail investors turned net buyers to the extent of QR38.46mn against net sellers of QR23.06mn the previous week.The Gulf institutions were net buyers to the tune of QR14.97mn compared with net sellers of QR43.39mn the week ended October 19.The Arab individual investors’ net profit booking declined considerably to QR3.98mn against QR21.58mn a week ago.The Gulf individuals’ net selling decreased perceptibly to QR2.71mn compared to QR5.343mn the previous week.The foreign individuals’ net profit booking shrank markedly to QR0.4mn against QR3.78mn the week ended October 19.The Arab institutions’ net selling wakened marginally to QR0.05mn compared to QR0.13mn a week ago.The main market witnessed an 18% jump in trade volumes to 842.7mn shares and 2% in value to QR2.16bn but on 2% fall in deals to 82,962 this week.In the venture market, trade volumes were down 1% to 8.51mn equities, while value grew 2% to QR12.64mn amidst 6% lower transactions at 812.

Doha stands out in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) due to its "prudential" measures to bulwark the economy during the challenging times, according to a senior researcher with the Investment Promotion Agency Qatar (Invest Qatar). "Qatar stands out (in the Gulf region), thanks to prudential measures that have been implemented over the recent years, which have allowed it to have substantial resources to support the economy during challenging times," Gokhan Celik, senior manager, Research and Policy Advocacy, Invest Qatar, said in an article 'Untold story of GCC in IMF's regional economic growth projections'. He said, according to the IMF (International Monetary Fund) World Economic Outlook (WEO) projections, Qatar will maintain a stronger fiscal position compared with its counterparts, as evidenced by the amount of financial assets available for lending. The consolidated projections indicate that, despite the slowdown in 2023, the GCC economy is poised to maintain growth in the following years at an approximate rate of 4%. "A noteworthy upward trend is evident in Qatar’s medium-term projections," he said. The organisation (IMF) expects Qatar’s growth to accelerate with an impressive rate exceeding 6% in 2027, driven by the North Field Expansion, a historical development aimed at significantly increasing liquefied natural gas production. In the GCC, the IMF emphasises the importance of corrective policies in mitigating potential risks associated with the disinflationary process and slowing economies. "Implementing fiscal measures to support economic activity and protect vulnerable segments comes at a cost and not all countries are ready to shoulder this burden," he said. Besides, the IMF highlights the growing concerns on soaring debts and advises the emerging economies to pursue deeper fiscal consolidation. "The positive outlook of the GCC economy strongly relies on the continuation of the structural reforms, which are crucial for reviving medium-term growth prospects, particularly given the restricted policy manoeuvre," Celik said. In 2024, ME&CA (Middle East and Central Asia), is estimated to grow at a slower pace compared with emerging markets, despite the robust performance of the GCC countries within the region, estimated to grow 3.7%, following the emerging markets trend. Within ME&CA, the GCC is included alongside other nations that exhibit diverse economic structures and conditions, he said, adding unlike the other countries within this category, the GCC is expected to perform differently due to dedicated pursuit of economic diversification, an ambitious vision that has been developed over several years. The analysis of aggregate performance of the GCC reveals that the IMF has consistently upgraded the GCC’s longer-term outlook since the Covid-19 pandemic. "The upgrades are primarily tied to the commodity market and, to a lesser extent, development projects. More compellingly, the upward revisions occurred despite unavoidable monetary policy tightening, as the GCC economies are bound by currency pegs to follow the US monetary policy decisions," the researcher said. “As we enter the final quarter of 2023, global economy activity remains slow and falls short of its pre-pandemic trajectory," he said, referring to the WEO projection that forecast global growth to decline from 3.5% in 2022 to 3% in 2023 and 2.9% in 2024.

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) Wednesday fell for the second day as its key index was down 20 points on the back of selling pressure, especially in the consumer goods and.text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[94108]**industrials sectors. The local retail investors were seen net profit takers as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.21% to 9,479.67 points, amidst geopolitical concerns.The Arab retail investors turned bearish in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened further to 11.25%."On the negative side, only below the strong support line at 9,585 points could shift the tone to a deeper bearish move and lead to 9,000 points," a Kamco Invest technical analysis note had said.The foreign institutions continued to be net sellers but with lesser vigour in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR1.44bn or 0.26% to QR560.86n with small cap segments losing the most.The Gulf institutions were increasingly net buyers in the main market, whose index touched an intraday high of 9,559 points.The Islamic index reported gains vis-à-vis declines in the other indices in the main bourse, which saw as many as 0.01mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.04mn trade across 16 deals.The domestic funds were increasingly bullish in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The foreign individuals were increasingly net buyers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index shed 0.21% and the All Share Index by 0.1%, while the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) was up 0.07% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The consumer goods and services sector index tanked 1.56%, industrials (0.91%) and banks and financial services (0.01%); while insurance gained 2.96%, real estate (1.53%) and transport (0.7%). The telecom index treaded a flat course.Major losers in the main market included Industries Qatar, Ooredoo, Commercial Bank, Woqod, Qatari German Medical Devices, Zad Holding and Widam Food.In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, about 59% of the traded constituents extended gains with major movers being Doha Insurance, United Development Company, Qatar Insurance, Gulf International Services, Qatar Oman Investment, Doha Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Dukhan Bank, Baladna, Aamal Company, Qamco and Nakilat.The local retail investors were net sellers to the tune of QR7.83mn compared with net buyers of QR8.51mn on October 24.The Arab individuals turned net sellers to the extent of QR4.71mn against net buyers of QR4.68mn on Tuesday.However, the domestic funds’ net buying increased considerably to QR14.83mn compared to QR3.74mn the previous day.The Gulf institutions’ net buying expanded noticeably to QR8.54mn against QR5.08mn against on October 24.The foreign individual investors’ net buying rose perceptibly to QR173mn compared to QR0.34mn on Tuesday.The foreign institutions’ net selling declined markedly to QR12.12mn against QR20.98mn the previous day.The Gulf individual investors’ net profit booking shrank notably to QR0.49mn compared to QR1.35mn on October 24.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the second straight session.Trade volumes in the main market tanked 19% to 147.83mn shares, value by 13% to QR388.87mn and deals by 12% to 15,631.In the venture market, the trade volumes more than tripled to 2.64mn equities and value almost quadrupled to QR3.92mn on more than tripled transactions to 247.

Reflecting the escalating geopolitical volatilities, the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) Tuesday plunged more than 220 points and its key index settled below 9,500 levels and.text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[93591]**capitalisation eroded QR11bn.An across the board selling, particularly in the insurance, real estate and industrials counters, led the 20-stock Qatar Index knock off 2.27% to 9,499.43 points."On the negative side, only below the strong support line at 9,585 points could shift the tone to a deeper bearish move and lead to 9,000 points," a Kamco Invest technical analysis note had said.The foreign institutions were increasingly net profit takers in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 11.06%, ahead of the US economic data.The domestic institutions’ weakened net buying had its influence in the main bourse, whose capitalisation eroded 1.94% to QR562.3bn with large and midcap segments losing the most.About 88% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market, whose index however regained from an intraday low of 9,439 points.The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the other indices in the main bourse, which saw as many as 9,521 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.05mn trade across eight deals.The Gulf individual investors’ marginally increased net selling was visible in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.However, the local retail investors turned bullish in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index tanked 2.27%, All Share Index by 2.06% and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 2.76% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The insurance sector index plummeted 3.44%, realty (2.57%), industrials (2.52%), telecom (2.14%), consumer goods and services (1.88%), banks and financial services (1.69%) and transport (1.63%).Major losers in the main market included Qatar Islamic Bank, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qatar Insurance, Industries Qatar, Ooredoo, Commercial Bank, Qatari German Medical Devices, Gulf International Services, Baladna, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Qamco, Ezdan, Mazaya Qatar, Gulf Warehousing and Mannai Corporation. In the venture market, Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, Lesha Bank, Doha Insurance and Zad holding were the three gainers in the main bourse.The foreign institutions’ net selling increased noticeably to QR20.98mn compared to QR12.29mn on October 23.The Gulf individual investors’ net profit booking grew marginally to QR1.35mn against QR1.34mn the previous day.The domestic institutions’ net buying weakened considerably to QR3.74mn compared to QR11.29mn on Monday.The Gulf institutions’ net buying weakened perceptibly to QR5.08mn against QR5.27mn on October 23.However, the local retail investors were net buyers to the tune of QR8.51mn compared with net sellers of QR2.27mn the previous day.The Arab individuals’ net buying strengthened markedly to QR4.68mn against QR0.63mn on Monday.The foreign individuals turned net buyers to the extent of QR0.34mn compared with net sellers of QR1.24mn on October 23.The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net profit takers to the tune of QR0.05mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market shot up 21% to 181.88mn shares, value by 19% to QR444.94mn and deals by 12% to 17,814.The venture market saw a 73% surge in trade volumes to 0.83mn equities, 70% in value to QR1.07mn and 38% in transactions to 73.

The Qatar Stock Exchange Monday settled marginally higher by two points despite six of the seven sectors experiencing moderate buying interests..text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[93081]**The Gulf institutions were seen net buyers as the 20-stock Qatar Index rose 0.02% to 9,719.99 points.The Arab individual investors turned bullish, albeit at lower levels, in the main market, whose year-to-date losses stood at 9.11%.The domestic institutions continued to be net buyers but with lesser vigour in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR0.99bn or 0.17% to QR573.45bn with small cap segments gaining the most.More than 55% of the traded constituents extended gains to investors in the main market, whose index however touched an intraday high of 9,783 points.The Islamic index was seen declining vis-à-vis gains in the other indices in the main bourse, which saw as many as 0.01mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.06mn trade across seven deals.The foreign institutions turned net profit takers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The local retail investors were also net sellers in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index was up 0.02% and the All Share Index by 0.15%, while the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) declined 0.11% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The telecoms sector index rose 0.63%, real estate (0.48%), transport (0.27%), industrials (0.15%), banks and financial services (0.12%) and insurance (0.05%); while consumer goods and services declined 0.14%.Major gainers in the main market included QLM, Beema, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Dlala, Qatar National Cement, Qatar Oman Investment, Meeza, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding and United Development Company.Nevertheless, Doha Insurance, Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution, Inma Holding, Qatari German Medical Devices, Ezdan, Dukhan Bank, Widam Food and Qatar Electricity were among the losers in the main bourse.In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value.The Gulf institutions were net buyers to the tune of QR5.27mn compared with net profit takers of QR21.89mn on October 22.The Arab individuals turned net buyers to the extent of QR0.63mn against net sellers of QR5.03mn the previous day.However, the foreign institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR12.29mn compared with net buyers of QR1.06mn on Sunday.The local retail investors were net profit takers to the extent of QR2.27mn against net buyers of QR14.16mn on October 22.The Gulf individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR1.34mn compared with net buyers of QR0.37mn the previous day.The foreign individuals’ net profit booking increased perceptibly to QR1.24mn against QR0.71mn on Sunday.The Arab institutions were net sellers to the extent of QR0.05mn compared with no major net exposure on October 22.The domestic institutions’ net buying weakened marginally to QR11.29mn against QR11.82mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market tanked 27% to 150.84mn shares, value by 24% to QR373.56mn and deals by about 1% to 15,856.The venture market saw a 70% contraction in trade volumes to 0.48mn equities, 75% in value to QR0.63mn and 75% in transactions to 53.

Qatar’s retail inflation is now below 2%, its lowest level since April 2021 as the price pressures in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) continue to moderate, according to Oxford Economics.Highlighting that the (Mena) regional price pressures continue to moderate; its report said September CPI (consumer price index) data for Qatar showed inflation slowed to 1.8%, marking the lowest reading since April 2021."The housing and utilities category made a negative contribution for the first time since early 2022," the report said, forecasting Qatar’s inflation to be 2.6% this year and 2.3% in 2024 compared to as high as 5% in 2022.Inflation also slid below 2% in Saudi Arabia, though higher oil prices contributed to inflation rising to 3.8% in Dubai, it said, adding in Kuwait, inflation remained sticky at 3.7%.In 2023, the average inflation in the Gulf Cooperation Council is forecasted to be 2.6% with Bahrain at 0.2%, Kuwait at 3.4%, Oman at 1%, Saudi Arabia at 2.5% and the UAE at 2.9%; whereas the world inflation is expected to average higher at 6%.In 2024, the average inflation in the Gulf region is expected to be 2.5% with Bahrain at 1.8%, Kuwait at 2.6%, Oman at 1.7%, Saudi Arabia at 2.7% and the UAE at 2.3%; while the world average was higher at 4.2%.Oxford Economics said the GCC gross domestic product is slated to grow by 1.2% and 3.8% this year and in 2024 against 7.6% in 2022 with Bahrain at 1.7% and 1.9% (4.9%), Kuwait 1.6% and 2.1% (7%), Oman 2.5% and 2.3% (4.3%), Qatar 1.5% and 2.5% (4.4%), Saudi Arabia 0.4% and 4.3% (8.7%) and the UAE 2.2% and 4.4% (7.9%).In the case of Mena region, the GDP growth is expected to average 1.8% and 3.1% in 2023 and 2024 respectively compared to 5.4% in 2022; and the world average is slated to be 2.5% and 1.9% (3.1%), the report said.The Gulf region is expected to show a fiscal surplus of 1.7% of GDP in 2023 with Qatar's level at 6.8% and the UAE at 5%; whereas Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman are expected to witness deficit of 1.6%, 1.4%, 1% and 0.3% respectively.In 2024, the regional fiscal situation is slated to improve with the GCC surplus expected to be 2.9% with Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia to show 8.5%, 5.4% and 0.5% respectively; while in the case of Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, they are slated to see deficit of 2.4%, 1.6% and 0.2%.

The increasing geopolitical volatilities had its repercussions in the regional markets, including the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE), whose key index plummeted 318 points and capitalisation eroded QR19bn this week.The Gulf institutions were increasingly net sellers as the 20-stock Qatar Index plunged 3.15% this week which saw Qatar Islamic Bank report net profit of QR3.06bn in the first nine months (9M) of this year.An across the board selling – particularly in the transport, real estate and telecom counters – weakened the sentiments in the main market this week which saw Commercial Bank report 9M net profit at QR2.36bn.The local retail investors turned net profit takers this week which saw Nakilat register net profit of QR1.19bn in January-September 2023.About 92% of the traded constituents in the main bourse were in the red this week which saw Milaha’s 9M net profit at QR870mn."The index remains within the negative territory as it closes below all moving averages on the weekly chart. The first improvement sign would happen once the bulls manage to overcome 10,430 points, also found here the upper end level of the one-year descending trend line, which will then increase the chances of targeting 11,215 point," a Kamco Invest technical analysis note had said.On the negative side, only below the strong support line at 9,585 points could shift the tone to a deeper bearish move and lead to 9,000 points, it said, adding medium-term and long-term investors can re-enter the market at levels higher than 11,150 points and 11,270 points, respectively.The Arab individuals were increasingly net sellers in the main bourse this week, which saw Ahlibank Qatar’s 9M net profit at QR615mn.The Arab institutions were seen increasingly into net profit booking in the main bourse this week which saw Lesha Bank register net profit of QR66.8mn in January-September 2023.The Islamic index declined slower than the other indices in the main market this week which saw a total of 0.04mn Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored exchange-traded fund QATR worth QR0.08mn trade across 14 deals.The Gulf individuals continued to be net sellers but with lesser intensity in the main market this week which saw as many as 0.08mn Doha Bank-sponsored exchange-traded fund QETF valued at QR0.75mn change hands across 39 transactions.Market capitalisation eroded QR18.8bn or 3.15% to QR578.54bn on the back of large and midcap segments this week which saw the industrials and banks together constitute about 59% of the total trade volume in the main bourse.The Total Return Index tanked 3.15%, the All Share Index by 3.08% and the All Islamic Index by 2.95% this week, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The transport sector index plummeted 6.56%, realty (5.06%), telecom (3.67%), banks and financial services (3.35%), consumer goods and services (2.16%), industrials (1.49%) and insurance (1.21%) this week which saw no trading of treasury bills.Major shakers in the main market included Alijarah Holding, Qatari Investors Group, Qatari German Medical Devices, Mazaya Qatar, Ezdan, Commercial Bank, QNB, QIB, Doha Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Ooredoo, Nakilat, Qamco, QLM, Milaha, Baladna and Gulf Warehousing. In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value this week Al Khaleej enter into pact with the US-based Cigna Healthcare for providing health insurance in Qatar.Nevertheless, Zad Holding, Meeza and Qatar Islamic Insurance were the gainers in the main bourse this week which saw an Ernst and Young report that said high prices of liquefied natural gas led Qatar's banking sector register a 22% growth in net earnings to QR2.8bn in 2022.The Gulf institutions’ net selling increased substantially to QR43.39mn compared to QR17.23mn the week ended October 12.The local retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR23.06mn against net buyers of QR16.27mn a week ago.The Arab individual investors’ net profit booking grew substantially to QR21.58mn compared to QR0.36mn the previous week.The Arab institutions turned net selling rose marginally to QR0.13mn against QR0.09mn the week ended October 12.However, the foreign funds’ net buying strengthened considerably to QR59.92mn against QR40.92mn a week ago.The domestic institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR37.35mn compared with net sellers of QR14.15mn the previous week.The Gulf individuals’ net selling decreased drastically to QR5.343mn against QR21.04mn the week ended October 12.The foreign individuals’ net profit booking shrank markedly to QR3.78mn compared to QR4.33mn a week ago.The main market witnessed 21% shrinkage in trade volumes to 716.63mn shares, 13% in value to QR2.13bn and 2% in deals to 84,756 this week.In the venture market, trade volumes more than doubled to 8.61mn equities and value more than doubled to QR12.4mn on more than doubled transactions to 864.

The Qatar Stock Exchange on Thursday plummeted more than 153 points to drive the key index below 9,900 levels, and its capitalisation eroded QR9bn amid increasing geopolitical concerns in the region.The transport, real estate and telecom counters witnessed higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 1.54% to 9,801.75 points.The foreign institutions were seen net profit takers in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened further to 8.23%.The local retail investors were increasingly net sellers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR8.57bn or 1.46% to QR578.54bn with large and small cap segments losing the most.About 78% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market, whose index however touched an intraday high of 9,944 points.On the negative side, only below the strong support line at 9,585 points could shift the tone to a deeper bearish move and lead to 9,000 points, a Kamco Invest analysis note had said, adding medium-term and long-term investors can re-enter the market at levels higher than 11,150 points and 11,270 points, respectively.The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the main barometer in the main bourse, which saw as many as 0.07mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.54mn trade across 28 deals.The Gulf individuals turned net profit takers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The foreign retail investors continued to be net sellers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index shed 1.54%, the All Share Index by 1.4% and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 1.49% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The transport sector index plummeted 3.39%, realty (2.56%), telecom (.211%), banks and financial services (1.31%), industrials (1.3%) and consumer goods and services (0.37%), while insurance gained 0.64%.Major losers in the main bourse included Doha Insurance, United Development Company, Nakilat, Qatari Investors Group, Qatari German Medical Devices, Commercial Bank, Masraf Al Rayan, Dukhan bank, Baladna, Qatari Investors Group, Gulf International Services, Estithmar Holding, Qamco, Ezdan, Ooredoo, Milaha and Gulf Warehousing. In the venture market, Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, Qatar Insurance, Meeza, Widam Food, Qatar Islamic Bank and Al Meera were among the gainers in the main market.In the junior bourse, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.The foreign institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR18.62mn compared with net buyers of QR13.96mn on October 18.The local retail investors’ net profit booking increased substantially to QR14.05mn against QR0.97mn the previous day.The Gulf individuals turned net sellers to the extent of QR3.08mn compared with net buyers of QR0.05mn on Wednesday.However, the Gulf institutions were net buyers to the tune of QR19.79mn against net profit takers of QR9.97mn on October 18.The domestic institutions’ net buying strengthened perceptibly to QR18.97mn compared to QR14.21mn the previous day.The Arab institutions turned net buyers to the extent of QR0.11mn against net profit takers of QR0.03mn on Wednesday.The Arab individual investors’ net selling weakened substantially to QR2.74mn compared to QR14.52mn on October 18.The foreign individuals’ net profit booking eased markedly to QR0.39mn against QR2.74mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market soared 12% to 169.34mn shares and value by 11% to QR480.5mn, while deals were down 8% to 18,749.The venture market saw a 27% contraction in trade volumes to 1.03mn equities and 1% in value to QR1.55mn but on 28% jump in transactions to 137.

Qatar has been ranked ninth globally in electric vehicle (EV) readiness, signifying its sustainable transportation with Doha positioning as a burgeoning leader in the EV landscape and more consumers preferring an EV.The country achieved this position in the Global Electric Mobility Readiness Index (GEMRIX) 2023, released by Arthur D. Little (ADL), an international management consulting firm.While Norway maintains its position as the global leader in EV readiness, China emerges as a close contender. Following these market leaders, countries like Qatar are laying the groundwork for increased EV adoption.The Qatari government has been proactive in promoting EV adoption, evident through initiatives like achieving 25% electrification of its public transit bus fleet by 2022, it said, adding the Ministry of Transport aims to switch 35% of the total vehicles in its fleet and 100% of its public transport buses to electric by 2030.One key aspect of this effort was the agreement between Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) and fuel retailer Woqod. They have committed to deploying 37 DC fast-charging units for electric vehicles at Woqod stations, with plans for further expansion."Qatar's ambitious EV vision is supported by strong policy frameworks, and the growing charging infrastructure is fuelling the growth of EVs on the country's roads. With Qatar aiming to transition to a sustainable, innovation-driven economy, the government's emphasis on EV adoption is crucial," said Joseph Salem, Partner and Travel and Transportation Practice Lead at Arthur D Little Middle East.Finding that a significant 74% of individuals in Qatar have expressed their willingness to purchase an EV as the next vehicle, the report said this response demonstrates the increasing comfort and acceptance of EVs among the population, creating a favourable environment for the further development of the EV market."The recent FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar played a pivotal role in elevating the profile of electric vehicles in the country. The event served as a catalyst for EV adoption, significantly raising awareness among tourists and locals," said Andreas Schlosser, Partner and Global Lead of the Automotive Group at Arthur D Little.The abundant use of electric buses and taxis during the World Cup not only showcased the capabilities of these vehicles but also encouraged consumers to consider choosing electric vehicles for their own use, he said.Financial institutions in Qatar are responding to the growing consumer interest by offering specialised green financing options to increase the financial attractiveness and facilitate the acquisition of electric and hybrid vehicles.Qatar's robust policy frameworks and consumer willingness are setting the stage for a transformative shift towards electric Mobility, according to the report.The government's commitment to sustainable transportation is further solidified by its ambitious targets and collaborative efforts with the private sector.These include the expansion of charging infrastructure and the promotion of personal EV-charging units for private use. "Together, these efforts not only meet the current demand but also position Qatar as a burgeoning leader in the EV landscape," it said.With continued focus and investment, Qatar is well-positioned to meet its national vision 2030 and set a benchmark for sustainable innovation in the region.

The escalating geopolitical tensions continued to weaken the sentiments in the Qatar Stock Exchange, whose key index lost more than 78 points to settle below the 10,000 mark..text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[91045]**An across the board selling – particularly in the realty, transport, insurance and industrials sectors – led the 20-stock Qatar Index knock off 0.79% to 9,954.96 points.The Arab individuals were seen increasingly into net selling in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 6.8%.The foreign individuals turned net sellers in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR3.29bn or 0.56% to QR587.11bn with small and microcap segments losing the most.More than 85% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main market, whose index however touched an intraday high of 10,052 points.On the negative side, only below the strong support line at 9,585 points could shift the tone to a deeper bearish move and lead to 9,000 points, a Kamco Invest analysis note had said, adding medium-term and long-term investors can re-enter the market at levels higher than 11,150 points and 11,270 points, respectively.The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the other indices in the main bourse, which had no trading of exchange traded funds.The Arab institutions turned net profit takers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The foreign institutions’ net buying weakened substantially in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index shed 0.79%, All Share Index by 0.67% and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 1.1% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The real estate sector index tanked 1.98%, transport (1.85%), insurance (1.69%), industrials (1.02%), consumer goods and services (0.88%), telecom (0.39%) and banks and financial services (0.16%).Major losers in the main bourse included Qatari Investors Group, Alijarah Holding, Dlala, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Mazaya Qatar, Doha Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Inma Holding, Qatari German Medical Devices, Salam International Investment, Widam Food, Mannai Corporation, Industries Qatar, Gulf International Services, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qamco, QLM, Ezdan, Barwa and Nakilat. In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, QNB, Qatar Electricity and Water, Beema, Commercial Bank and Vodafone Qatar were among the gainers in the main market.The Arab individual investors’ net selling increased substantially to QR14.52mn compared to QR0.17mn on October 17.The foreign individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR2.74mn against net buyers of QR9.02mn the previous day.The local retail investors were net sellers to the extent of QR0.97mn compared with net buyers of QR5.64mn on Tuesday.The Arab institutions turned net profit takers to the extent of QR0.03mn against net buyers of QR0.03mn on October 17.The foreign institutions’ net buying weakened drastically to QR13.96mn compared to QR34.87mn the previous day.However, the domestic institutions were net buyers to the tune of QR14.21mn against net sellers of QR11.97mn on Tuesday.The Gulf individuals turned net buyers to the extent of QR0.05mn compared with net sellers of QR0.32mn on October 17.The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking decreased significantly to QR9.97mn against QR37.07mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market soared 32% to 150.96mn shares, value by 14% to QR433.1mn and deals by 25% to 20,395.The venture market saw a 34% contraction in trade volumes to 1.42mn equities, 1% in value to QR1.56mn and 6% in transactions to 107.

The Qatar Stock Exchange Tuesday declined 12 points on the back of selling pressure, particularly in the transport and banking sectors..text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}} **media[90469]**The Gulf institutions were increasingly net profit takers as the 20-stock Qatar Index shrank 0.12% to 1,033.94 points Tuesday.The domestic institutions were seen increasingly bearish in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 6.06%.The foreign institutions’ weakened net buying had its influence on the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR1.23bn or 0.21% to QR590.4bn with microcap segments losing the most.However, more than 51% of the traded constituents extended gains in the main market, whose index however touched an intraday high of 10,076 points."The index remains within the negative territory as it closes below all moving averages on the weekly chart. The first improvement sign would happen once the bulls manage to overcome 10,430 points; also found here the upper end level of the one-year descending trend line, which will then increase the chances of targeting 11,215 point," a Kamco Invest technical analysis note said.On the negative side, only below the strong support line at 9,585 points could shift the tone to a deeper bearish move and lead to 9,000 points, it said, adding medium-term and long-term investors can re-enter the market at levels higher than 11,150 points and 11,270 points, respectively.The Islamic index reported gains vis-à-vis declines in the other indices in the main bourse, which had no trading of exchange traded funds.The foreign individuals were increasingly net buyers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The local retail investors turned bullish in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index shed 0.12% and All Share Index by 0.23%, while the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) rose 0.25% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.The transport sector index lost 1.04% and banks and financial services 0.69%; while real estate gained 1.06%, insurance (0.65%), telecom (0.65%) and industrials (0.47%). The consumer goods and services index was rather unchanged.Major losers in the main bourse included Dlala, Beema, QNB, Milaha, Nakilat, Widam Food and Gulf International Services.In the venture market, both Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares depreciate in value.Nevertheless, Meeza, Barwa, Zad Holding, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Ooredoo, Industries Qatar, Qamco, QLM and Qatar Insurance were among the gainers in the main market.The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking increased noticeably to QR37.07mn compared to QR28.74mn on October 16.The domestic institutions’ net selling strengthened significantly to QR11.97mn against QR2.76mn on Monday.The foreign institutions’ net buying weakened markedly to QR34.87mn compared to QR44.61mn the previous day.However, the foreign individuals’ net buying expanded considerably to QR9.02mn against QR0.34mn on October 16.The local retail investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR5.64mn compared with net sellers of QR4.87mn on Monday.The Arab institutions’ net buying grew marginally to QR0.03mn against QR0.02mn the previous day.The Arab individuals’ net selling decreased substantially to QR0.17mn compared to QR7.14mn on October 16.The Gulf individual investors’ net profit booking eased perceptibly to QR0.32mn against QR1.45mn on Monday.Trade volumes in the main market fell 26% to 114.26mn shares, value by 19% to QR379.08mn and deals by 5% to 16,325.The venture market saw 78% contraction in trade volumes to 1.06mn equities, 79% in value to QR1.54mn and 79% in transactions to 101.

The enduring geopolitical crisis had its dampening effect on the regional bourses, including Qatar Stock Exchange, which Monday saw its index dip 81 points and capitalisation.text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[90082]**erode QR5bn. A higher than average selling pressure, especially in the real estate, consumer goods and industrials sectors, drove the 20-stock Qatar Index down 0.8% to 10,045.6 points.The Gulf institutions were seen bearish in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 5.95%.About 81% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation eroded QR4.93bn or 0.83% to QR591.63bn with mid and small cap segments losing the most.The Arab retail investors were seen net profit takers in the main market, whose index however touched an intraday high of 10,114 points."The index remains within the negative territory as it closes below all moving averages on the weekly chart. The first improvement sign would happen once the bulls manage to overcome 10,430 points, also found here the upper end level of the one-year descending trend line, which will then increase the chances of targeting 11,215 point," a Kamco Invest technically analysis note said.The Islamic index fell faster than the other indices in the main bourse, which saw a total of 3,980 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Doha Bank) valued at QR0.04mn changed hands across four deals.The domestic institutions turned net sellers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.The Gulf individuals were increasingly into net profit booking in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index shrank 0.8%, All Share Index by 0.78% and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.85% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the increase.The realty sector index plummeted 1.86%, consumer goods and services (1.56%), industrials (0.87%), banks and financial services (0.78%), insurance (0.69%) and telecom (0.31%); while transport gained 0.42%.Major losers in the main market included Alijarah Holding, Qatar Oman Investment, Mazaya Qatar, Ezdan, Inma Holding, Commercial Bank, Lesha Bank, Qatari German Medical Devices, Salam International Investment, Baladna, Industries Qatar, Estithmar Holding, Barwa and Gulf Warehousing.Nevertheless, Dlala, Gulf International Services, Milaha and Nakilat were the gainers in the main bourse. In the venture market, Al Faleh Educational Holding and Mahhar Holding saw their shares appreciate in value.The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR28.74mn compared with net buyers of QR12.6mn on October 15.The Arab individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR7.14mn against net buyers of QR2.98mn the previous day.The domestic institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR2.76mn compared with net buyers of QR18.91mn on Sunday.The Gulf individual investors’ net profit booking rose perceptibly to QR1.45mn against QR0.53mn on October 15.However, the foreign funds were buyers to the extent of QR44.61mn compared with net sellers of QR14.88mn the previous day.The foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.34mn against net sellers of QR10.02mn on Sunday.The Arab institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR0.02mn compared with net sellers of QR0.26mn on October 15.The local retail investors’ net profit booking weakened markedly to QR4.87mn against QR8.8mn the previous day.Trade volumes in the main market rose 19% to 153.38mn shares, value by 36% to QR465.65mn and deals by 41% to 17,137.The venture market saw trade volumes jump almost 17-fold to 4.81mn equities and value by more than 17-fold to QR7.34mn on more than 12-fold growth in transactions to 480.