The Qatar Stock Exchange Sunday witnessed six of the seven sectors under buying spotlight; yet it settled 13 points lower and its key barometer retreated below 9,400 levels.
The banking and financial services sector witnessed higher than average selling pressure as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.14% lower at 9,398.9 points.
Islamic stocks were seen gaining vis-à-vis declines in the other indices on the bourse, whose year-to-date losses were at 9.85%.
Market capitalisation saw QR80mn or 0.15% decline to QR549.96bn, mainly owing to microcap segments.
A total of 11,100 exchange traded funds (both QATR and QETF) valued at QR94,287 changed hands across three transactions; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the market, where the industrials, consumer goods and banking sectors together accounted for about 88% of the total trading volume.
The Total Return Index was down 0.14% to 18,069.79 points and All Share Index by 0.1% to 2,939.13 points, while Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) rose 0.33% to 2,130.79 points.
The banks and financial services index fell 0.46%; whereas insurance tanked 1.3%, transport (0.8%), real estate (0.35%), consumer goods and services (0.33%), telecom (0.32%) and industrials (0.13%).
Major losers included Qatari Investors Group, Ahlibank Qatar, Baladna, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Doha Bank, QIIB, QNB and Salam International Investment.
Nevertheless, about 59% of the stocks extended gains with major movers being Qatar German Company for Medical Devices, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Gulf Warehousing, Dlala, Qatar Oman Investment, Inma Holding, Al Meera, Qatar National Cement, Aamal Company, Qatar Electricity and Water, Qamco and Milaha.
Domestic funds turned net sellers to the tune of QR9.92mn compared with net buyers of QR27.97mn on August 6.
However, Qataris turned net buyers to the extent of QR10.05mn compared with net sellers of QR30.76mn last Thursday.
Foreign individuals were net buyers to the tune of QR0.54mn against net sellers of QR1.3mn on August 6.
The Gulf funds turned net buyers to the extent of QR0.13mn compared with net sellers of QR4.18mn the previous trading day.
The Arab individuals’ net selling weakened considerably to QR1.88mn against QR4.59mn last Thursday.
The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking eased noticeably to QR0.54mn compared to QR1.11mn on August 6.
The Arab institutions had no major exposure against net profit takers to the extent of QR0.13mn the previous trading day.
Total trade volumes fell 17% to 211.38mn shares, value by 28% to QR336.27mn and transactions by 22% to 6,422.
The insurance sector’s trade volume plummeted 88% to 2.47mn equities, value by 88% to QR4.92mn and deals by 52% to 171.
The telecom sector reported 84% plunge in trade volume to 2.1mn stocks, 76% in value to QR4.91mn and 49% in transactions to 189.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 44% to 54.57mn shares, value by 52% to QR97.62mn and deals by 40% to 1,763.
There was 38% shrinkage in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 16.31mn equities, 40% in value to QR20.95mn and 26% in transactions to 656.
The transport sector’s trade volume 19% to 5.36mn stocks, value by 14% to QR24.05mn and deals by 40% to 291.
However, the consumer goods and services sector saw 45% surge in trade volume to 58.62mn shares, value by 56% to QR120.08mn and 16% in transactions to 1,835.
The industrials sector’s trade volume soared 41% to 71.95mn equities and value by 6% to QR63.73mn; whereas deals were down 7% to 1,517.
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