Local retail investors’ profit-booking weighed on the Qatar Exchange yesterday. Notwithstanding the buying support from domestic institutions, the QE Index (based on price data) fell 0.02% to 8,283.13 points.

The market is down 5.65% year-to-date.

The All Share Index (comprising wider constituents) was up 0.02% to 1,994.32 points, while the Total Return Index was down 0.02% to 11,210.06 points respectively. Both the indices factored in dividend income as well.

Among the losers were Commercialbank, Mazaya Qatar, Barwa, Gulf International Services and Nakilat. Dlala, Mawashi, Qatari Investors Group and Gulf Warehousing bucked the trend.

Under the All Share Index category, the indices of realty, insurance and transport fell 0.51%, 0.40% and 0.11%; while those of industrials, consumer goods and banks and financial services rose 0.14%, 0.03% and 0.02% respectively.

Market capitalisation was up 0.06% or QR26mn to QR453.88bn with micro, large and small cap equities gaining 0.99%, 0.10% and 0.09% respectively, while mid caps lost 0.41%.

Of the 42 stocks, 17 each advance and declined, three were unchanged and five were not traded.

Qatari individual investors turned bearish as they were net sellers to the tune of 12.20% against net buyers of 3.28% the previous trading day. Their net selling amounted to QR17.08mn.

A higher 50.40% of them purchased equities compared to 46.62% last Thursday, but a much higher 62.60% sold against 43.34%.

Non-Qatari retail investors were increasingly bearish as their net selling rose to 1.94% from 0.10% the previous day. Their net selling was worth QR2.72mn.

A higher 19.65% of them were into buying against 15.88% last Thursday and a higher 21.59% were into offloading against 15.98%.

However, domestic institutions were increasingly bullish as their net buying zoomed to 15.38% from 4.52% the previous day. Their net buying was worth QR21.53mn.
A higher 21.99% of them bought equities compared to 15.36% last Thursday, while a lower 6.61% offloaded against 10.84%.

Foreign institutions continued to be profit-takers, but with lesser intensity, as their net selling sunk to 1.25% from 7.71% the previous day. Their net selling was worth QR1.75mn.

A much lower 7.96% of them were into buying against 22.13% last Thursday and a much lower 9.21% of them into selling compared to 29.84%.

Total trading volume rose 36% to 4.40mn equities, value by 30% to QR139.98mn and deals by 14% to 2,474.

The consumer goods and services sector’s trading volume more than doubled to 0.65mn shares as value almost tripled to QR31.08mn on a 27% jump in transactions to 395.

The telecom sector’s trading volume surged 75% to 0.21mn shares, value by 18% to QR3.09mn and deals by 90% to 171.

The banks and financial services sector’s trading volume gained 64% to 1.10mn shares, value by 94% to QR51.33mn and transactions by 29% to 674.

The industrials sector’s trading volume increased 53% to 0.52mn shares, while value fell 6% to QR17.35mn but deals were up 6% to 396.

The real estate sector’s trading volume rose 26% to 1.49mn shares, value by 2% to QR25.07mn and transactions by 7% to 524.

However, the insurance sector’s trading volume plummeted 91% to 0.02mn shares, value by 93% to QR1.08mn and deals by 72% to 29.

The transport sector’s trading volume was down 11% to 0.41mn shares, while value rose 29% to QR11.01mn and transactions by 3% to 285.

Actively traded stocks (in terms of volume) were Mazaya Qatar (968,265 shares); Mawashi (598,153); Barwa (409,947); Masraf Al Rayan (371,878) and Qatari Investors Group (331,304).

In the debt market, there was no trading.