Consumer goods and transport equities yesterday extended the bearish spell in the Qatar Exchange to the second day.

Local retail investors sought to book profits as the QE Index (based on price data) fell 0.24% to 8,261.09 points. The market is down 5.90% year-to-date.

The All Share Index (comprising wider constituents) and the Total Return Index also shank 0.27% and 0.24% to 1,994.01 and 11,180.24 points respectively. Both the indices factored in dividend income as well.

More than 64% of the stocks were in the red with major losers being Industries Qatar, Gulf Warehousing Company (GWC), Qatari Investors Group, Mazaya Qatar, Vodafone Qatar and Nakilat; even as Dlala bucked the trend.

Under the All Share Index category, the index of consumer goods shrank 0.83%, followed by transport (0.67%), telecom (0.38%), industrials (0.37%), real estate (0.23%) and banks and financial services (0.17%), while insurance rose 0.48%.

Market capitalisation eroded 0.41% or about QR2bn to QR443.89bn with micro, large and mid cap equities notably melting 1.22%, 0.32% and 0.15% respectively.

Of the 42 stocks, only eight gained, while 27 declined, three were unchanged and four were not traded.

Qatari individual investors continued to be bullish, but with lesser vigour, as their net buying sunk to 0.27% from 2.29% the previous day.

A marginally lower 47.59% of them purchased equities compared to 48.13% on Tuesday while a higher 47.32% sold against 45.84%.

Non-Qatari retail investors were increasingly bullish as their net buying rose to 2.86% from 1.99% the previous day.

A lower 18.72% of them were into buying against 23.52% on Tuesday and a lower 15.86% were into offloading against 21.53%.

Foreign institutions were increasingly bearish as their net selling rose to 13.95% from 13.23% the previous day.

A marginally lower 5.77% of them were into buying against 6.88% on Tuesday and a marginally lower 19.72% of them into selling compared to 20.11%.

Domestic institutions were increasingly bullish as their net buying surged to 10.81% from 8.94% the previous day.

A higher 27.91% of them bought equities compared to 21.47% on Tuesday and a higher 17.10% offloaded against 12.53%.

Total trading volume fell 45% to 4.79mn equities, value by 33% to QR167.73mn and deals by 35% to 2,782.

The consumer goods and services sector’s trading volume plummeted 71% to 0.52mn shares, value by 69% to QR13.89mn and transactions by 62% to 353.

The industrials sector’s trading volume plunged 63% to 0.50mn shares, value by 47% to QR27.44mn and deals by 36% to 411.

The telecom sector’s trading volume tanked 51% to 0.32mn shares, value by 4% to QR11.68mn and transactions by 13% to 228.

The real estate sector’s trading volume declined 44% to 0.70mn shares, value by 40% to QR13.76mn and deals by 38% to 281.

The banks and financial services sector’s trading volume lost 42% to 1.12mn shares, value by 37% to QR36.23mn and transactions by 34% to 685.

The insurance sector’s trading volume fell 21% to 0.15mn shares, value by 16% to QR6.53mn and deals by 20% to 109.

The transport sector’s trading volume was down 3% to 1.49mn shares while value rose 7% to QR58.20mn but transactions fell 15% to 715.

Actively traded stocks (in terms of volume) were GWC (1.20mn shares); Masraf Al Rayan (356,007); Mazaya Qatar (343,770); Barwa (324,705) and Qatari Investors Group (274,012).

In the debt market, there was no trading.