The Qatar Stock Exchange on Sunday opened the week on a stronger note as its key index gained 16 points, mainly lifted by local and Arab individuals.
The insurance, consumer goods, transport and telecom counters witnessed higher than average buying interests as the 20-stock Qatar Index gained 0.15% to 10,240.68 points, having touched an intraday high of 10,272 points.
Foreign individuals were seen net buyers, albeit at lower levels, on the bourse, whose year-to-date losses declined to 1.87%.
The Islamic equities were seen gaining slower than the main market, whose capitalisation saw QR8mn or 0.01% increase to QR594.21bn, mainly owing to microcap segments.
Both foreign institutions and the Gulf individuals continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity on the bourse, where more than 55% of the traded constituents extended gains.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline on the market, where the industrials, consumer goods and banking sectors together accounted for about 80% of the trading volume.
A total of 24,636 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan sponsored QATR and Doha Bank sponsored QETF) valued at QR189,107 changed hands across seven deals; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
The Total Return Index rose 0.15% to 20,169.4 points, Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.14% to 2,370.62 points and All Share Index by 0.05% to 3,231.33 points.
The insurance index gained 0.8%, consumer goods and services (0.5%), transport (0.47%), telecom 90.27%), industrials (0.26%) and real estate (0.16%); whereas banks and financial services declined 0.23%.
Major gainers included Mannai Corporation, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Al Khaleej Takaful, Aamal Company, Qatari Investors Group, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qatar Insurance, Barwa, Vodafone Qatar and Milaha.
Nevertheless, Investment Holding Group, Salam International Investment, Qatar National Cement, Ahlibank Qatar, Doha Insurance, Qatar First Bank, Qatar Electricity and Water, Gulf International Services, QLM, United Development Company and Gulf Warehousing were among the losers.
Local retail investors turned net buyers to the tune of QR15.25mn compared with net sellers of QR5.78mn on March 11.
The Arab individuals were also net buyers to the extent of QR4.66mn against net sellers of QR10.29mn last Thursday.
Foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR0.29mn compared with net sellers of QR2.26mn the previous trading day.
However, the domestic funds’ net selling increased substantially to QR23.08mn against QR1.27mn on March 11.
The Arab institutions turned net sellers to the extent of QR1.8mn compared with net buyers of QR0.2mn last Thursday.
The foreign funds’ net buying declined considerably to QR3.36mn against QR13.81mn the previous trading day.
The Gulf individuals’ net buying weakened perceptibly to QR1.11mn compared to QR3.15mn on March 11.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying contracted markedly to QR0.19mn against QR2.49mn the previous trading day.
Total trade volume fell 41% to 181.52mn shares, value by 33% to QR316.97mn and transactions by 39% to 7,014.
The industrials sector’s trade volume plummeted 58% to 67.15mn equities, value by 51% to QR77.54mn and deals by 43% to 1,999.
The telecom sector reported 57% plunge in trade volume to 6.12mn stocks, 67% in value to QR10.93mn and 77% in transactions to 257.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 31% to 30.35mn shares, value by 27% to QR92.7mn and deals by 38% to 1,826.
There was 22% shrinkage in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 22.18mn equities, 22% in value to QR38.43mn and 21% in transactions to 935.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume shrank 12% to 47.43mn stocks, value by 9% to QR59.27mn and deals by 4% to 1,391.
The market witnessed 5% dip in the transport sector’s trade volume to 3.7mn shares, 9% in value to QR23.63mn and 67% in transactions to 230.
However, the insurance sector’s trade volume shot up 53% to 4.6mn equities and value by 17% to QR14.47mn, while deals were down 5% to 376.
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