The Qatar Exchange largely remained flat yesterday despite profit-booking from local and foreign retail investors. Although domestic institutions had higher penchant for buying, the QE Index (based on price data) stood at 8,251.23 points. The market is down 5.95% year-to-date.

The All Share Index (comprising wider constituents) and the Total Return Index shank 0.13% and 0.01% to 1,989.88 and 11,166.90 points respectively. Both the indices factored in dividend income as well.

Major losers included Qatar Islamic Bank, Qatari Investors Group, Aamal Company, United Development Company, Mazaya Qatar and Nakilat; even as Commercialbank, Qatar Telecom and Gulf Warehousing bucked the trend.

Under the All Share Index category, the index of consumer goods plunged 1.07%, followed by realty (0.65%), industrials (0.49%), transport (0.47%) and telecom (0.21%); while the indices of insurance and banks and financial services rose 2.44% and 0.07% respectively.

Market capitalisation was down 0.25% or more than QR1bn to QR443.34bn with large and mid cap equities gaining 0.15% and 0.12%; while micro and small caps gained 0.25% and 0.20% respectively.

Of the 42 stocks, only 11 gained, while 24 declined, two were unchanged and five were not traded.

Qatari individual investors were increasingly profit-takers as their net selling surged to 17.92% from 6.06% the previous trading day. They were net sellers to the tune of QR22.34mn.

A lower 41.11% of them purchased equities compared to 44.08% last Thursday, while a higher 59.03% sold against 50.14%.

However, non-Qatari retail investors turned bullish as they were net buyers to the extent of 3.39% compared with net sellers of 4.03% the previous day. Their net buying amounted to QR4.23mn.

A marginally higher 18.29% of them were into buying against 17.57% last Thursday, whereas a lower 14.90% were into offloading against 21.60%.

Foreign institutions’ bearish grip strengthened as their net selling rose to 2.86% from 1.96% the previous day. They were net sellers to the extent of QR3.57mn.

A marginally higher 15.40% of them were into buying against 15.08% last Thursday and a marginally higher 18.26% of them into selling compared to 17.94%.

Domestic institutions were increasingly bullish as their net buying soared to 17.40% from 12.96% the previous day. They were net buyers to the tune of QR21.70mn.

A higher 25.21% of them bought equities compared to 23.27% last Thursday,
whereas a lower 7.81% offloaded against 10.31%.

Total trading volume shrank 21% to 4.20mn equities, value by 7% to QR124.69mn and deals by 19% to 2,389.

The consumer goods and services sector’s trading volume plummeted 65% to 0.58mn shares, value by 46% to QR13.93mn and transactions by 47% to 308.

The transport sector’s trading volume plunged 47% to 0.28mn shares, value by 63% to QR5.72mn and deals by 53% to 195.

The real estate sector’s trading volume tanked 39% to 0.55mn shares, value by 36% to QR9.71mn and transactions by 27% to 281.

The telecom sector’s trading volume was down less than 1% to 0.44mn shares, value by 30% to QR11.42mn and deals by 41% to 177.

However, the insurance sector’s trading volume more than doubled to 0.21mn shares and value also more than doubled to QR10.70mn as transactions more than doubled to 206.

The industrials sector’s trading volume soared 48% to 0.46mn shares, value by 37% to QR22.93mn and deals by 31% to 428.

The banking sector’s trading volume gained 20% to 1.68mn shares and value by 24% to QR50.26mn, while transactions were down 9% to 794.

Actively traded stocks (in terms of volume) were Qatar Oman Investment (898,306 shares); Vodafone Qatar (367,137); Masraf Al Rayan (333,432), Mazaya Qatar (316,098) and Qatari German Company for Medical Devices (298,721).
In the debt market, there was no trading.