The Qatar Stock Exchange settled above 9,000 points this week with three of the five days witnessing robust gains.
Foreign institutions and local retail investors were net buyers this week, which saw investment firm Amwal view that a higher up to 100% foreign direct investment and an annual 100mn tonnes of liquefied natural gas are slated to "tremendously" enhance the foreign flow into Qatar's banking system, which in turn benefits the economy.
Notwithstanding the bearish pressure from domestic institutions and non-Qatari individuals, the 20-stock Qatar Index closed at 9,024.03 points this week.
The previous week had only two working days in view of Eid holidays.
The market witnessed a total volume of 12,355 QATR (Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored exchange traded fund or ETF) valued at QR0.27mn trade across 26 transactions and as many as 31,818 QETF (Doha Bank-sponsored ETF) valued at QR2.82mn change hands across 27 deals this week which saw no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index settled at 15,899.35 points, All Share Index at 2,621.36 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) at 2,202.93 points this week which saw as many as 36,000 sovereign bonds valued at QR360mn trade across three transactions.
The banks and financial services index was at 3,144.17 points, consumer goods at 6,161.69 points, industrials at 2,883.6 points, insurance at 3,058.99 points, real estate at 1,589.87 points, telecom at 1,014.42 points and transport at 1,941.83 points this week which saw Vodafone Qatar, Masraf Al Rayan, Barwa and Milaha dominate trading ring in volume and value.
Foreign institutions and local retail investors were net buyers to the tune of QR14.31mn and QR10.79mn respectively this week, which saw Qatar's domestic banks’ cross-border assets decline in the Gulf, the European and North America; whereas those were on the rise in the other countries, including Asia, during 2017.
In the case of domestic funds and non-Qatari individuals, both were net profit takers to the tune of QR17.53mn and 7.47mn respectively this week which saw Nakilat Damen Shipyards Qatar successfully deliver its first two new builds of fast luxury super yachts.
Mid and microcap equities were seen experiencing higher demand this week which saw banks, telecom, transport and real estate sectors together accounted for about 82% of total trade volume.
A total of 33.48mn shares valued at QR1.04bn traded across 13,586 transactions this week which saw Qatar's trade surplus at QR14.88bn this May mainly on robust double-digit expansion in exports to Asian markets as China, South Korea and India.
The banks and financial services sector saw as many as 8.89mn equities worth QR406.43mn change hands across 4,780 deals; telecom saw some 8.13mn stocks valued at QR108.96mn trade across 1,510 transactions; a total of 5.6mn transport shares worth QR114.65mn change hands across 953 deals; and a total of 4.81mn real estate equities valued at QR75.71mn trade across 2,052 transactions this week.
The industrials sector saw a total of 2.92mn stocks worth QR114.81mn change hands across 2,099 deals; as many as 1.74mn insurance shares valued at QR61.15mn trade across 1,002 transactions and some 1.37mn consumer goods equities worth QR155.45mn change hands across 1,190 deals.
