The Qatar Stock Exchange on Sunday opened the week weak and its key index lost 80 points to settle below 10,400 levels, mainly on strong selling at the consumer goods counter.
Local, Gulf and non-Qatari retail investors were seen bearish as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.77% lower at 10,362.04 points.
The Gulf institutions were also seen profit takers in the market, which is down 0.61% year-to-date.
Market capitalisation saw more than QR3bn or 0.53% shrinkage to QR576.4bn mainly owing to mid and small cap segments.
Islamic stocks were seen declining faster than the other indices in the bourse, where domestic funds were bullish.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the bourse, where banking and industrials sectors alone accounted for about 63% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index fell 0.77% to 19,067.03 points, All Share Index by 0.65% to 3,080.16 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.97% to 2,278.69 points.
The consumer goods index shot up 3.06%, banks and financial services (0.57%), transport (0.52%), industrials (0.37%), insurance (0.21%) and telecom (0.19%); while real estate gained 0.63%.
More than 67% of the traded constituents were in the red with major losers being Qatari Investors Group, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qatar Islamic Bank, Commercial Bank, Doha Bank, QIIB, Qatar First Bank, Qatar German Company for Medical Devices, Woqod and Widam; even as Industries Qatar, Alijarah Holding, United Development Company and Al Khaleej Takaful were among the gainers.
Local retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR5mn compared with net buyers of QR6.98mn on January 30. The Gulf funds were also net sellers to the extent of QR3.79mn against net buyers of QR8.97mn the previous trading day.
The Gulf individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.53mn compared with net buyers of QR1.04mn last Thursday
Non-Qatari individuals were also net profit takers to the extent of QR0.08mn against net buyers of QR5.67mn on January 30.
However, domestic funds turned net buyers to the tune of QR10.02mn compared with net sellers of QR18.79mn the previous trading day.
Non-Qatari institutions’ net profit booking declined noticeably to QR0.63mn against QR3.85mn last Thursday.
Total trade volumes fell 20% to 67.88mn shares, value by 57% to QR114.88mn and transactions by 50% to 3,096.
The telecom sector’s trade volume plummeted 65% to 4.03mn equities, value by 73% to QR6.81mn and deals by 62% to 190.
The insurance sector reported 47% plunge in trade volume to 2.03mn stocks, 47% in value to QR5.14mn and 57% in transactions to 126.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 43% to 21.33mn shares, value by 72% to QR45.03mn and deals by 64% to 1,137.
There was 40% shrinkage in the transport sector’s trade volume to 2.26mn equities, 40% in value to QR5.73mn and 42% in transactions to 164.
The industrials sector’s trade volume shrank 35% to 7.95mn stocks, value by 43% to QR18mn and deals by 35% to 597.
However, the consumer goods sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 9.1mn shares, whereas value lost 4% to QR15.92mn and transactions by 30% to 471. The real estate sector saw 69% surge in trade volume to 21.16mn equities, 19% in value to QR18.24mn and 2% in deals to 411.
In the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.
