Foreign institutions yesterday squared off their positions to impart a bearish momentum to the Qatar Exchange. The industrials, telecom and realty sectors were seen losing sheen as the QE Index (based on price data) fell 0.38% to 8,651.76 points.

The market is down 1.45% year-to-date.

The All Share Index (comprising wider constituents) and the Total Return Index also shrank 0.30% and 0.38% to 2,058.13 and 11,599.38 points respectively. Both the indices factored in dividend income as well.

Major losers included Qatar Islamic Bank, Industries Qatar, Qatari Investors Group, Aamal Company, Ezdan Real Estate, Mazaya Qatar, Vodafone Qatar, Qatar Telecom and Nakilat; even as Masraf Al Rayan and Salam International Investment bucked the trend.

Under the All Share Index category, the industrial index fell 0.71%, followed by telecom (0.54%), real estate (0.37%), banks and financial services (0.33%) and transport (0.19%); while the indices of insurance and consumer goods gained 1.71% and 0.54% respectively.

Market capitalisation melted 1.23% or about QR6bn to QR465.29bn mainly on a 0.74% plunge in large cap equities; whereas small, mid and micro caps gained 0.34%, 0.20% and 0.19% respectively.

Of the 42 stocks, 18 advanced, while 19 declined, three were unchanged and two were not traded.

Foreign institutions were increasingly profit-takers as their net selling soared to 18.50% from 4.92% the previous day.

A lower 2.51% of them were into buying against 8.92% on Sunday whereas a higher 21.01% of them into selling compared to 13.84%.

However, domestic institutions were increasingly bullish as their net buying surged to 24.67% from 10.09% the previous day.

A higher 35.42% of them bought equities compared to 31.69% on Sunday, while a lower 10.75% offloaded against 21.60%.

Qatari individual investors’ bearish grip strengthened as their net selling rose to 2.68% from 1.25% the previous day.

A higher 46.76% of them purchased equities compared to 42.70% on Sunday and a higher 49.44% sold compared to 43.95%.

Non-Qatari retail investors continued to be profit-takers, but with lesser intensity, as their net selling fell to 3.50% from 3.93% the previous day.

A lower 15.30% of them were into buying compared to 16.68% on Sunday and a lower 18.80% were into offloading against 20.61%.

Total trading volume fell 13% to 14.41mn equities, whereas value rose 4% to QR468.87mn but deals rose 21% to 5,728.

The insurance sector’s trading volume plummeted 64% to 0.05mn shares, value by 50% to QR2.29mn and transactions by 42% to 54.

The transport sector’s trading volume plunged 43% to 0.60mn shares, value by 50% to QR10.39mn and deals by 53% to 230.

The industrials sector’s trading volume tanked 40% to 2.83mn shares, value by 26% to QR102.50mn and transactions by 41% to 1,064.

The real estate sector’s trading volume declined 37% to 3.28mn shares, value by 31% to QR49.17mn and deals by 35% to 997.

The consumer goods and services sector’s trading volume shrank 22% to 1.10mn shares, value by 30% to QR37.88mn and transactions by 29% to 705.

However, the banks and financial services sector’s trading volume shot up 76% to 5.43mn shares, value by 64% to QR210.36mn and deals by 12% to 1,962.

The telecom sector’s trading volume gained 20% to 1.12mn, value by 73% QR56.28mn and transactions by 27% to 716.

Actively traded stocks (in terms of volume) were Dlala (2.73mn shares); Mazaya Qatar (2.25mn); Rayan (2.05mn); Qatari Investors Group (2mn) and Vodafone Qatar (760,466).
In the debt market, there were no trades in treasury bills.