Increased selling pressure from local retail investors on Thursday drove the Qatar Stock Exchange down about five points, after four consecutive days of gains.

Gulf institutions were also seen bearish as the 20-stock Qatar Index witnessed 0.05% fall to 10,461.65 points.

The banking and transport counters witnessed profit booking in the market, whose key benchmark settled 1.58% higher year-to-date.

Market capitalisation saw QR71mn, or 0.12%, gains to QR578.61bn mainly owing to microcap segments.

Islamic equities were seen declining faster than the other indices in the market, where foreign funds continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity.

Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the bourse, where the banking, realty and industrials sectors together accounted for more than 89% of the total volume.

The Total Return Index was down 0.05% to 19,250.33 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.12% to 2,349.88 points, while the All Share Index gained by 0.11% to 3,081.76 points.

The banks and financial services index declined 0.32% and transport 0.19%; while telecom gained 1.63%, real estate (1.58%), consumer goods (0.33%), industrials (0.11%) and insurance (0.05%).

Major losers included Mazaya Qatar, Alijarah Holding, Al Khaliji, Qatar Islamic Bank, Zad Holding, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Doha Insurance and Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance; whereas Ooredoo, Islamic Holding Group, Medicare Group, Qatar National Cement, Qatari Investors Group and Qatar Electricity and Water were among the gainers.

Local retail investors’ net selling increased noticeably to QR23.38mn compared to QR17.87mn on September 11.

Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR3.55mn against net buyers of QR2.7mn the previous day.

Gulf individuals were also net sellers to the extent of QR0.25mn compared with net buyers of QR0.77mn on Wednesday.

Non-Qatari funds’ net buying decreased considerably to QR32.22mn against QR51.55mn on September 11.

However, non-Qataris turned net buyers to the tune of QR1.23mn compared with net sellers of QR6.07mn the previous day.

Domestic funds’ net profit booking weakened significantly to QR6.29mn against QR31.08mn on Wednesday.

Total trade volume fell 18% to 128.85mn shares and value by 18% to QR251.71mn, while transactions were up 4% to 7,837.

The transport sector’s trade volume plummeted 61% to 3.5mn equities, value by 61% to QR12.68mn and deals by 43% to 282.

The insurance sector reported a 52% plunge in trade volume to 1.12mn stocks, 43% in value to QR4.56mn and 55% in transactions to 143.

The consumer goods sector’s trade volume tanked 44% to 1.76mn shares, value by 35% to QR17.04mn and deals by 31% at 515.

The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume shrank 31% to 47.59mn equities, value by 15% to QR118.61mn and transactions by 21% to 1,846.

The real estate sector saw a 23% shrinkage in trade volume to 40.66mn stocks and 19% in value to QR34.03mn but on a 79% increase in deals to 2,200.

However, the industrials sector’s trade volume almost doubled to 27mn shares, value soared 15% to QR39.28mn and transactions by 29% to 1,936.

There was a a 16% expansion in the telecom sector’s trade volume to 7.22mn equities, 3% in value to QR25.5mn and 1% in deals to 915.

In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and sovereign bonds.