Foreign institutions’ bullish outlook on Tuesday lifted the Qatar Stock Exchange about 19 points but its key index was still below 10,300 levels.
Banks and consumer goods witnessed higher than average demand as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.18% higher at 10,270.06 points.
The Gulf individual investors’ net profit booking pressure was seen weakening on the market, which is down 1.49% year-to-date.
Market capitalisation saw about QR3bn or 0.5% increase to QR573.55bn mainly owing to mid and small cap segments.
Islamic stocks were seen declining vis-à-vis gains in the other indices on the bourse, where the local retail investors and domestic funds turned net sellers.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline on the bourse, where banking and industrials sectors together accounted for more than 60% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index rose 0.18% to 18,897.78 points and All Share Index by 0.39% to 3,061.36 points, while Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) was down 0.06% to 2,254.5 points.
The banks and financial services index gained 0.67%, consumer goods (0.45%), telecom (0.11%) and industrials (0.01%); whereas realty declined 0.36%, transport (0.13%) and insurance (0.08%).
Major gainers included QNB, Qatar First Bank, Medicare Group, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qatar Insurance and Ooredoo; whereas Commercial Bank, Doha Bank, Qatari Investors Group, Qatar General Insurance, Industries Qatar, Al Khaleej Takaful and Gulf Warehousing were among decliners.
Non-Qatari institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR27.74mn compared with net sellers of QR42.71mn on February 3.
The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking decreased noticeably to QR0.22mn against QR2.75mn the previous day.
However, local retail investors turned net sellers to the extent of QR18.88mn compared with net buyers of QR7.02mn on Monday.
The Gulf institutions’ net selling strengthened perceptibly to QR8.17mn against QR0.97mn on February 3.
Domestic funds were net sellers to the tune of QR1.06mn compared with net buyers of QR36.63mn the previous day.
Non-Qatari individual investors’ net buying declined noticeably to QR0.6mn against QR2.78mn on Monday.
Total trade volumes fell 34% to 68.35mn shares, value by 27% to QR221.36mn and transactions by 17% to 6,388.
The real estate sector’s trade volume plummeted 58% to 7.12mn equities, value by 18% to QR12.82mn and deals by 13% to 424.
The insurance sector reported 57% plunge in trade volume to 2.16mn stocks, 64% in value to QR4.96mn and 61% in transactions to 195.
The industrials sector’s trade volume tanked 48% to 11.33mn shares, value by 43% to QR27.06mn and deals by 35% to 1,179.
The banks and financial services sector saw 33% shrinkage in trade volume to 29.96mn equities, 30% in value to QR134.17mn and 14% in transactions to 3,094.
The consumer goods sector’s trade volume shrank 24% to 6.92mn stocks, while value grew 23% to QR19.64mn and deals by 33% to 625.
There was 13% decline in the transport sector’s trade volume to 3.16mn shares and 5% in value to QR8.26mn but on 32% jump in transactions to 252.
However, the telecom sector’s trade volume almost doubled to 7.65mn equities, value shot up 37% to QR14.45mn and deals by 8% to 619.
In the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
