The Qatar Stock Exchange witnessed strong selling, especially within industrials and banking counters, leading to a 95 points decline in the key barometer and about QR6bn in capitalisation.
Foreign institutions were seen bearish as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.92% lower at 10,188.97 points.
The Gulf institutions’ weakened buying interests also had its role in dampening the market, whose key benchmark is down 1.07% year-to-date.
Market capitalisation saw about 1% decline to QR563.43bn mainly owing to micro and small cap segments.
Islamic equities were seen declining slower than the other indices in the market, where the local and non-Qatari retail investors turned bullish.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the increase in the bourse, where banking sector alone accounted for more than 44% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index declined 0.92% to 18,748.56 points, the All Share Index by 0.88% to 3,007.75 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.46% to 2,297.99 points.
The industrials index tanked 1.24%, banks and financial services (1%), telecom (0.52%), transport (0.49%), consumer goods (0.42%) and insurance (0.19%); while real estate was up a marginal 0.01%.
Major losers included Industries Qatar, QNB, Qatar Islamic Bank, Commercial Bank, Qatari Investors Group, Qatar Insurance and Nakilat; even as Doha Bank, QIIB, Qatar First Bank, Salam International Investment, Mannai Corporation, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance and Gulf Warehousing were among the gainers.
Non-Qatari funds turned net sellers to the tune of QR22.1mn compared with net buyers of QR15.44mn on October 28.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying declined noticeably to QR2.73mn against QR5.47mn the previous day.
However, local retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR9.64mn compared with net sellers of QR3.9mn on Wednesday.
Domestic institutions’ net buying strengthened influentially to QR7.66mn against QR0.2mn on October 28.
Non-Qatari individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR4.29mn compared with net sellers of QR1.47mn the previous day.
The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking weakened perceptibly to QR2.19mn against QR5.77mn on Wednesday.
Total trade volume rose 32% to 82.69mn shares, value by 69% to QR300.27mn and transactions by 33% to 5,808.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 36.59mn equities and value more than doubled to QR171.28mn on 89% increase in deals to 2,427.
The transport sector reported 53% surge in trade volume to 3.89mn stocks, 81% in value to QR13.01mn and 92% in transactions to 293.
The insurance sector’s trade volume soared 53% to 4.21mn shares, value by 79% to QR13.93mn and deals by 47% to 375.
There was a 27% expansion in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 18.14mn equities, 91% in value to QR45.63mn and 37% in transactions to 1,367.
The consumer goods sector’s trade volume shot up 17% to 6.27mn stocks, while value fell 21% to QR30.49mn despite 5% higher deals at 666.
The telecom sector saw a 5% jump in trade volume to 2.87mn shares but on a 25% dip in value to QR11.11mn and 26% in transactions to 409.
However, the real estate sector’s trade volume plunged 43% to 10.72mn equities, value by 4% to QR14.83mn and deals by 46% to 271.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and sovereign bonds.
