The Qatar Stock Exchange on Thursday closed the year 2020 with a 99-point decline and its key index retreated below 10,500 levels; even as it was up mere 0.1% year-to-date.

An across the board selling – especially in the banking and financial sector—dragged the 20-stock Qatar Index 0.94% to 10.435.96 points, although it recovered from an intraday low of 10,397 points.

Foreign and Gulf institutions turned bearish in the market, which however saw domestic fund turn bullish and there was also increased net buying from local retail investors.

Trade turnover and volumes were on the increase in the bourse, where the realty, industrials and banking sectors together accounted for about 85% of the total trading volume.

Islamic equities were seen declining slower than the other indices in the market, whose capitalisation saw more than QR5bn or 0.89% decrease to QR602.2bn, mainly on midcap segments.

A total of 10,000 exchange traded funds (Masraf Al Rayan-sponsored QATR) valued at QR23,860 changed hands across one deal; while in the debt market, there was no trading of sovereign bonds and treasury bills.

The Total Return Index declined 0.94% to 20,062.79 points, the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.73% to 2,393.2 points and the All Share Index by 0.87% to 3,199.41 points.

The banks and financial service index shrank 0.99%, industrials (0.91%), transport (0.88%), consumer goods and services (0.71%), real estate (0.69%), telecom (0.34%) and insurance (0.12%).

More than 73% of the traded constituents were in the red with major loser being Qatar Insurance, Nakilat, QNB, QIIB, Qatari Investors Group, Woqod, Qatar National Cement, Industries Qatar, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Qamco, Ezdan and Barwa; even as Mazaya Qatar, Ahlibank Qatar, Milaha, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance and Gulf International Services were among the gainers.

Foreign funds turned net sellers to the tune of QR155.52mn against net buyers of QR9.98mn on December 30.

Gulf funds were also net sellers to the extent of QR14.12mn compared with net buyers of QR0.44mn on Wednesday.

Arab institutions’ net buying declined marginally to QR0.21mn against QR0.94mn the previous day.

However, domestic funds were net buyers to the tune of QR85.8mn compared with net sellers of QR28.29mn on December 30.

Local retail investors’ net buying increased substantially to QR56.07mn against QR18.7mn on Wednesday.

Arab individuals turned net buyers to the extent of QR16.03mn compared with net sellers of QR3.44mn the previous day.

Foreign individuals’ net buying strengthened markedly to QR6.97mn against QR2.28mn on December 30.

Gulf individuals were net buyers to the tune of QR4.55mn compared with net sellers of QR0.62mn on Wednesday.

Total trade volumes more than doubled to 189.2mn shares, value grew 80% to QR464.53mn and transactions by 52% to 8,832.

The real estate sector’s trade volume grew about seven-fold to 77.84mn equities and value by more than five-fold to QR112.05mn on almost tripled deals to 1,817.

The banks and financial services sector saw a 75% surge in trade volume to 48.4mn stocks, 55% in value to QR215.75mn and 50% in transactions to 3,331.

The industrials sector’s trade volume soared 64% to 34.34mn shares and value more than doubled to QR64.56mn on a 63% growth in deals to 1.377.

The market witnessed a 34% expansion in the transport sector’s trade volume to 4.68mn equities, 18% in value to QR16.66mn and 21% in transactions to 466.

The insurance sector’s trade volume was up 4% to 2.58mn stocks and value by 7% to QR6.07mn; while deals were down 6% to 149.

However, there was a 9% shrinkage in the consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume to 10.95mn shares, 2% in value to QR26.9mn and 1% in transactions to 747.

The telecom sector’s trade volume shrank 3% to 4.4mn equities, whereas value shot up 9% to QR22.53mn and deals by 24% to 945.


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