QSE edges down marginally despite buying in realty, consumer goods, financial sectors

The Qatar Stock Exchange Thursday closed marginally down despite buying interests in the real estate, consumer goods, banking and insurance sectors.
The domestic institutions were increasingly net sellers as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 10 points or 0.07% lower at 13,376.64 points, but recovering from an intraday low of 13,386 points.
The Gulf funds were also increasingly net profit takers in the market, whose year-to-date gains were at 15.06%.
The foreign institutions’ weakened net buying interests had its influence in the bourse, whose capitalisation shot up about QR3bn or 0.38% to QR743.3bn, mainly on the back of small and microcap segments.
The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the main index in the market, where the industrials and real estate sectors together constituted about 67% of the total trading volume.
The Gulf individuals were seen bearish in the bourse, which saw a total of 0.06mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.76mn changed hands across 25 deals.
However, local retail investors turned net buyers in the market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
The Arab retail investors’ net profit booking weakened considerably in the bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index was down 0.07% to 27,399.7 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index (Price) by 0.26% to 2,910.57 points, while All Share Index rose 0.17% to 4,251.67 points.
The telecom sector index tanked 1.81%, industrials (0.83%) and transport (0.47%); while realty gained 1.55%, consumer goods and services (0.8%), banks and financial services (0.58%) and insurance (0.53%).
Major losers included Al Khaleej Takaful, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Ooredoo, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing, Qatar National Cement, Dlala, Inma Holding, Qatari German Medical Devices, Gulf International Services and Nakilat. In the venture market, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.
Nevertheless, Ezdan Holding, Medicare Group, Doha Insurance, Mazaya Qatar, Mannai Corporation, QNB, Al Meera, Qamco and Untied Development Company were among the gainers in the main market.
The domestic institutions’ net selling increased noticeably to QR32.54mn compared to QR24.6mn on August 3.
The Gulf institutions’ net selling increased markedly to QR6.95mn against QR4.49mn the previous day.
The Gulf retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.22mn compared with net buyers of QR0.04mn on Wednesday.
The foreign institutions’ net buying weakened substantially to QR29.58mn against QR82.47mn on August 3.
However, Qatari individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR19.96mn compared with net sellers of QR32.14mn the previous day.
The Arab individuals’ net profit booking shrank significantly to QR3.53mn against QR13.2mn on Wednesday.
The foreign individuals’ net selling eased marginally to QR6.31mn compared to QR8.8mn on August 3.
The Arab funds continued to have no major net exposure for the second straight session.
Total trade volume in the main market declined 23% to 246.21mn shares, value by 30% to QR591.3mn and transactions by 15% to 18,811.
In the venture market, trade volumes stood at 0.26mn stocks, value at QR1.04mn and deals at 44.