Business
Sentiments weaken on QSE as selling weighs on banks, insurance
Sentiments weaken on QSE as selling weighs on banks, insurance
January 20, 2022 | 09:53 PM
The Gulf and domestic institutions Thursday turned net buyers in an otherwise bearish Qatar Stock Exchange, which lost about 100 points.The buying interests in the consumer goods and transport counters notwithstanding, the 20-stock Qatar Index shrank 0.8% to 12,511.98 points, although it touched an intraday high of 12,611 points.The Arab individuals were also seen net buyers in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 7.62%.Local retail investors were increasingly net sellers in the bourse, whose capitalisation saw about QR3bn or 0.4% decline to QR716.4bn, mainly on the back of small cap segments.About 61% of the traded constituents were in the red in the bourse, where the banking, industrials and realty sectors accounted for more than 64% of the trading volume.The foreign individuals were seen net profit takers in the bourse, which saw a total of 33,494 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR330,521 changed hands across nine deals.The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices in the market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.Total trade turnover and volumes were on the increase in the bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.The Total Return Index shed 0.8% to 24,768.21 points, the All Share Index by 0.64% to 3,944.26 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.21% to 2,760.9 points.The banks and financial services sector index tanked 1.19%, insurance (0.86%), telecom (0.52%), industrials (0.41%) and real estate (0.21%); while consumer goods and services gained 1.57% and transport 0.95%.Major losers in the main market included Commercial Bank, Qatari Investors Group, Qatar Insurance, Vodafone Qatar, Masraf Al Rayan, Qatar Islamic Bank, Doha Bank, Dlala, Gulf International Services, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, QLM and Mazaya Qatar.Nevertheless, Mannai Corporation, Woqod, Qamco, Ahlibank Qatar, Nakilat, Qatar National Cement, Qatar Electricity and Water, Doha Insurance and Qatar Islamic Insurance were among the gainers in the main market. In the venture market, Mekdam Holding saw its scrips appreciate in value.Qatari individuals’ net selling increased significantly to QR99.53mn compared to QR32.93mn on January 19.The foreign individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR4.49mn against net buyers of QR0.21mn the previous day.The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking grew notably to QR1.22mn compared to QR0.39mn on Wednesday.The foreign institutions’ net buying weakened markedly to QR38.54mn against QR58.16mn on January 19.However, the Gulf institutions’ net buying rose drastically to QR35.16mn compared to QR3.36mn the previous day.The domestic funds were net buyers to the extent of QR25.16mn against net sellers of QR24.1mn on Wednesday.The Arab individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR6.38mn compared with net sellers of QR4.31mn on January 19.The Arab funds continued to have no major net exposure.Total trade volume in the main market rose 14% to 192.81mn shares, value by 17% to QR758.68mn and transactions by 2% to 13,564.There was a 69% surge in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 62.75mn equities, 39% in value to QR189.8mn and 24% in deals to 3,606.The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume soared 14% to 61.31mn stocks, value by 34% to QR406.73mn and transactions by 12% to 6,458.The market witnessed a 4% expansion in the real estate sector’s trade volume to 38.86mn shares but on a 13% decline in value to QR60.13mn amidst an 11% increase in deals to 1,368.The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume was up 1% to 15.56mn equities and value by 26% to QR52.29mn; while transactions shrank 26% to 963.However, the transport sector reported a 61% plunge in trade volume to 6.15mn stocks, 65% in value to QR26.57mn and 53% in deals to 518.The insurance sector’s trade volume tanked 18% to 3.6mn shares, value by 15% to QR9.76mn and transactions by 27% to 253.The market witnessed a 14% contraction in the telecom sector’s volume to 4.57mn equities, less than 1% in value to QR13.4mn and 31% in deals to 398.In the venture market, volumes zoomed more than five-fold to 472,915 stocks, value by about eight-fold to QR3.2mn and transactions by more than nine-fold to 334.
January 20, 2022 | 09:53 PM