The Qatar Stock Exchange Wednesday fell below 12,500 levels despite buying interests in the transport and consumer goods counters.
Notwithstanding the increase in net buying interests of foreign funds, the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 67 points or 0.54% lower to close at 12,481.33, although it touched an intraday high of 12,561.
The Gulf funds and foreign individuals were seen net buyers in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 7.36%.
The domestic funds were increasingly into net selling in the bourse, whose capitalisation saw about QR2bn or 0.28% decline to QR715.79bn, mainly on the back of small cap segments.
More than 71% of the traded constituents were in the red in the market, where the industrials and consumer goods sectors together accounted for about 52% of the trading volume.
The local retail investors continued to be net profit takers but with lesser vigour in the bourse, which saw a total of 48,150 exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR403,540 changed hands across 18 deals.
The Islamic index was seen declining faster 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 shrank 0.54% to 24,707.54 points, the All Share Index by 0.3% to 3,942.27 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.61% to 2,741.63 points.
The industrials sector index declined 0.61%, insurance (0.58%) and banks and financial services (0.42%); while transport gained 0.78%, consumer goods and services (0.41%) and telecom (0.08%). The real estate index was flat.
Major shakers in the main market included Qatari German Medical Devices, Qatar Oman Investment, Aamal Company, Investment Holding Group, Inma Holding, Qatar Islamic Bank, QIIB, Masraf Al Rayan, Dlala, Baladna, Qatar Electricity and Water, Gulf International Services, Qamco, QLM and Mazaya Qatar. In the venture market, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its shares lose value.
Nevertheless, Mannai Corporation, Milaha, Zad Holding, Medicare Group and Vodafone Qatar were among the gainers in the main market.
In the junior bourse, Mekdam Holding saw its scrips appreciate in value.
The domestic institutions’ net profit booking increased significantly to QR44.65mn against QR22.22mn on January 25.
The Arab individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR11.79mn compared with net buyers of QR0.54mn on Tuesday.
The Gulf individuals’ net selling strengthened perceptibly to QR1.01mn against QR0.25mn the previous day.
However, the foreign funds’ net buying grew markedly to QR92.15mn compared to QR86.98mn on Tuesday.
The Gulf institutions were net buyers to the extent of QR11.77mn against net sellers of QR8.54mn on Tuesday.
The foreign individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR2.87mn compared with net sellers of QR2.9mn the previous day.
The Qatari individuals’ net profit booking weakened notably to QR49.35mn against QR53.51mn on Tuesday.
The Arab institutions had no major net exposure compared with net profit takers of 0.11mn on Tuesday.
Total trade volume in the main market rose 5% to 197.47mn shares and value by 11% to QR690.99mn, while transactions fell 2% to 14,688.
The telecom sector’s volume more than doubled to 13.47mn equities and value almost doubled to QR34.03mn on a 58% increase in deals to 884.
The insurance sector’s trade volume almost doubled to 3.17mn stocks and value also almost doubled to QR8.32mn on a 27% growth in transactions to 209.
The consumer goods and services sector’s trade volume soared 36% to 48.36mn shares, value by 61% to QR144.5mn and deals by 6% to 2,399.
The transport sector reported a 27% surge in trade volume to 19.58mn equities and 33% in value to QR108.6mn but on 3% decline in transactions to 1,100.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume expanded 22% to 37.15mn stocks, while value was down 1% to QR201.88mn amidst 12% higher deals at 6,069.
However, there was a 28% plunge in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 53.81mn shares, 17% in value to QR155.86mn and 17% in transactions to 2,900.
The real estate sector’s trade volume tanked 14% to 21.94mn equities, 3% in value to QR37.8mn and 9% in deals to 1,127.
In the venture market, volumes expanded 14.8% to 127,936 stocks, whereas value eased 17.28% to QR0.6mn and 70.24% in transactions to 25.
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