The Qatar Stock Exchange Tuesday saw domestic funds and Gulf individuals turn increasingly net buyers, even as it weakened for the fourth straight session and its key index lost more than 32 points.
Local retail investors were seen bullish; yet the 20-stock Qatar Index was down 0.3% to 10,639.34 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,678 points.
Telecom was the lone sector to extend gains to investors in the bourse, whose year-to-date gains were 1.95%.
The real estate, transport, consumer goods, banking and insurance counters experienced higher than average selling pressure in the market, whose capitalisation saw more than QR2bn or 0.38% decline to QR616.31bn, mainly on microcap segments.
More than 54% of the traded constituents were in the red in the bourse, which saw foreign individuals were into increasingly net sellers and the Gulf funds turn bearish.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the market, where the Arab individuals were increasingly net sellers.
The foreign individuals were increasingly net profit takers in the bourse, where the banks and industrials sectors accounted for about 55% of the total trading volume.
A total of 7,277 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored QATR) valued at QR175,581 changed hands across one deal; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
The Total Return Index shrank 0.3% to 20,453.78 points, the All Share Index by 0.36% to 3,256.13 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.11% to 2,425.79 points.
The realty index declined 1.01%, transport (0.98%), consumer goods and services (0.55%), banks and financial services (0.39%), insurance (0.38%) and industrials (0.1%); while telecom gained 0.98%.
Major losers included Ahlibank Qatar, United Development Company, Al Khaliji, Nakilat, Qatari German Medical Devices, QNB, Woqod, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Qatar Insurance and QLM; even as Al Khaleej Takaful, Dlala, Inma Holding, Ooredoo, Baladna and Qatar Oman Investment were among the gainers.
The foreign institutions’ net selling increased notably to QR8.14mn compared to QR2.25mn on January 25.
The Gulf institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR5.24mn against net buyers of QR8.53mn the previous day.
The Arab individuals’ net profit booking grew markedly to QR2.77mn compared to QR1.84mn on Monday.
The foreign individuals’ net selling strengthened considerably to QR1.17mn against QR0.51mn on January 26.
However, the domestic funds’ net buying shot up significantly to QR10.43mn compared to QR0.31mn the previous day.
Qatari retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR4.5mn against net sellers of QR6.13mn on Monday.
The Gulf individuals’ net buying grew marginally to QR2.42mn compared to QR1.74mn on January 25.
The Arab funds had no major exposure against net buyers to the tune of QR0.18mn the previous day.
Total trade volume fell 1% to 163.6mn shares, value by 15% to QR432.88mn and transactions by 12% to 9,904.
There was a 55% plunge in the consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume to 17.83mn equities, 54% in value to QR42.04mn and 42% in deals to 1,046.
The telecom sector’s trade volume plummeted 31% to 4.23mn stocks, value by 51% to QR9.83mn and transactions by 53% to 439.
The transport sector reported a 12% shrinkage in trade volume to 5.8mn shares and 12% in value to QR26.91mn but on 16% growth in deals to 629.
However, the industrials sector’s trade volume soared 36% to 42.74mn equities, value by 6% to QR67.15mn and transactions by 20% to 1,708.
The banks and financial services sector saw a a 21% surge in trade volume to 47.15mn stocks but on 15% shrinkage in value to QR185.89mn and 14% in deals to 4,013.
The realty sector’s trade volume expanded 9% to 24.03mn shares, value by 19% to QR42.37mn and transactions by 16% to 1,086.
The market witnessed a a 5% jump in the insurance sector’s trade volume to 21.83mn equities, 13% in value to QR58.69mn and 5% in deals to 983.
 
 
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