The Qatar Stock Exchange on Sunday opened the week weak, losing 45 points to settle a tad above 8,800 levels, mainly dragged by banking and transport equities.

Increased selling pressure from non-Qatari individuals and substantially weakened buying from non-Qatari and Gulf funds were instrumental in the 20-stock Qatar Index shedding 0.51% to 8,802.8 points. 
The country’s first exchange traded fund QETF saw 0.49% decline.
Local and Gulf retail investors’ net selling was on the decline in the market, which is however up 3.28% year-to-date.
Large-cap stocks witnessed faster erosion in value on the bourse, leading to a 0.5% decline in capitalisation to QR478.29bn.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline in the market, where the insurance, banking and industrials sectors together accounted for more than 67% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index shed 0.51% to 15,333.82 points, the All Share Index by 0.21% to 2,533.8 points and the Al Rayan Islamic Index by 0.35% to 3,588.84 points.
The banks and financial services index shrank 1.43%, followed by transport (1.37%) and insurance (0.19%); whereas realty soared 2.37%, industrials (0.5%), consumer goods (0.43%) and telecom (0.37%).
About 56% of the stocks were in the red with QNB, Masraf Al Rayan, Alijarah Holding, Industries Qatar, Ooredoo, Qatar Islamic Insurance, Barwa, Gulf Warehousing and Nakilat.
Nevertheless, Commercial Bank, Ahli Bank, QIIB, Dlala, Islamic Holding Group, Zad Holding, Salam International Investment, Qatari Investors Group, Gulf International Services, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Ezdan and Vodafone Qatar were among the gainers.
Non-Qatari individuals’ net profit-booking increased perceptibly to QR10.01mn against QR8.26mn last Thursday.
Non-Qatari institutions’ net buying fell substantially to QR32.36mn compared to QR103.32mn the previous day.
Gulf institutions’ net buying declined considerably to QR21.06mn against QR74.15mn on March 15.
However, domestic funds’ net selling weakened significantly to QR33.96mn compared to QR139.4mn last Thursday.
Local retail investors’ net selling also weakened impressively to QR9.04mn against QR26.46mn the previous day.
Gulf individuals’ net profit-booking shrank perceptibly to QR0.41mn compared to QR3.24mn on March 15.
Total trade volume fell 66% to 11.86mn shares, value by 70% to QR313.89mn and transactions by 57% to 3,758.
The transport sector saw an 85% plunge in trade volume to 0.49mn equities, 91% in value to QR11.71mn and 75% in deals to 294.
The real estate sector’s trade volume plummeted 77% to 1.26mn stocks, value by 82% to QR19.23mn and transactions by 60% to 412.
There was a 67% shrinkage in the insurance sector’s trade volume to 3.54mn shares, 65% in value to QR127.15mn and 57% in deals to 658.
The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 66% to 2.3mn equities, value by 67% to QR78.05mn and transactions by 54% to 1,096.
The market witnessed a 65% decline in the industrials sector’s trade volume to 2.14mn stocks, 66% in value to QR48.61mn and deals by 56% to 785.
The consumer goods sector’s trade volume contracted 53% to 0.15mn shares, value by 61% to QR9.14mn and transactions by 39% to 209.
However, the telecom sector reported 29% surge in trade volume to 1.98mn equities but on 36% slump in value to QR19.99mn and 45% in deals to 304.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and sovereign bonds.

 

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