The Qatar Stock Exchange on Tuesday settled marginally higher although real estate and industrials counters experienced strong buying interests.
Domestic funds continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity, as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled mere 0.04% higher at 10,186.09 points.
The selling pressure from local retail investors and foreign institutions was on the decline on the market, which is down 1.1% year-to-date.
Market capitalisation saw QR31mn or 0.05% jump to QR564.09bn mainly owing to microcap segments.
Islamic stocks were seen gaining faster than the other indices on the market, where the Gulf funds continued to be net buyers but with lesser vigour.
Trade turnover and volumes were on the decline on the bourse, where banking and industrials sector together accounted for about 73% of the total volume.
The Total Return Index rose 0.04% to 18,743.27 points, All Share Index by 0.08% to 3,012.72 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.25% to 2,291.79 points.
The realty index expanded 0.67%, industrials (0.58%), insurance (0.31%), telecom (0.2%) and consumer goods (0.09%); while transport declined 0.3% and banks and financial services (0.13%).
Major gainers included Industries Qatar, United Development Company, Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, QIIB, Qatar Oman Investment, Qatar Electricity and Water, Vodafone Qatar and Gulf Warehousing.
Nevertheless, more than 51% of the traded constituents were in the red with major losers being Islamic Holding Group, Qatar Islamic Bank, Mannai Corporation, Widam Food, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Ezdan, Barwa and Milaha.
Non-Qatari institutions’ net selling declined considerably to QR6.94mn compared to QR18.08mn on December 2.
Local retail investors’ net selling also weakened noticeably to QR19.44mn against QR27.35mn the previous day.
However, non-Qatari individuals turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.4mn compared with net buyers of QR0.46mn on Monday.
The Gulf individuals’ net profit booking grew perceptibly to QR1.21mn against QR0.91mn on December 2.
Domestic institutions’ net buying declined substantially to QR23.53mn compared to QR33.35mn the previous day.
The Gulf institutions’ net buying also shrank significantly to QR2.48mn against QR12.58mn on Monday.
Total trade volume fell 32% to 57.9mn shares and value by 17% to QR189.09mn, while transactions were up 2% to 6,316.
There was 90% plunge in the consumer goods sector’s trade volume to 1.28mn equities, 66% in value to QR7.08mn and 52% in deals to 214.
The telecom sector’s trade volume plummeted 54% to 4.8mn stocks, whereas value grew 2% to QR23.56mn and transactions by 24% to 1,084.
The insurance sector reported 47% shrinkage in trade volume to 0.39mn shares, 45% in value to QR1.15mn and 49% in deals to 64.
The real estate sector’s trade volume tanked 31% to 7.26mn equities and value by 24% to QR12.79mn, while transactions expanded 28% to 361.
The market witnessed 25% decline in the transport sector’s trade volume to 2.15mn stocks, 31% in value to QR7.46mn and 11% in deals to 209.
The industrials sector’s trade volume shrank 16% to 18.56mn shares, value by 32% to QR27.34mn and transactions by 21% to 1,378.
The banks and financial services sector saw 4% dip in trade volume to 23.46mn equities and 4% in value to 109.71mn but on 22% jump in deals to 3,006.
In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and sovereign bonds.
