Foreign institutions' robust buying interests were contained by selling pressure of domestic institutions that the Qatar Exchange (QE) yesterday remained flat.
Consumer goods and realty sectors witnessed some buying; nevertheless the 20-stock Qatar Index (based on price data) was rather unchanged at 8,847.5 points. Both local and foreign retail investors were seen to reduce their exposure in the market, which is, however, up 5.84% year-to-date (YTD).
About 55% of the stocks witnessed gains with major movers being Mazaya Qatar, Qatari Investors Group, United Development Company, Doha Bank and Widam Food; even as QNB, Commercial Bank and Industries Qatar bucked the trend.
The 20-stock Total Return Index was also flat at 12,641.05 points, while All Share Index (comprising wider constituents) was up 0.02% to 2,256.94 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index by 0.35% to 2,682.38 points. All the three indices factored in dividend income as well.
Under the All Share Index category, the consumer goods index rose 1.2%, real estate (0.4%), industrials (0.07%) and telecom (0.03%); while that of insurance fell 0.38%, banks and financial services (0.2%) and transport (0.06%).
Market capitalisation rose 0.23% or more than QR1bn to QR495.04bn. Of the 42 stocks, 23 advanced, while 13 declined, four were unchanged and two were not traded.
Domestic institutions' net selling surged to 28.22% or QR71.67mn. A marginally higher 17.78% of them were into buying against 15.81% last Thursday but a much higher 45% of them into selling compared to 16.02%.
Foreign institutions' net buying shot up to 41.12% or QR104.43mn. A much higher 47.55% of them bought equities against 29.55% the previous trading day, whereas a lower 6.43% offloaded compared to 15.89%.
Qatari individual investors' net profit booking fell to 9.02% or QR22.91mn. A much lower 27.28% of them purchased equities against 42.48% last Thursday and a much lower 36.3% sold compared to 53.68%.
Non-Qatari individual investors' net selling rose to 3.88% or QR9.85mn. A lower 8.39% of them bought equities against 12.16% the previous day and a lower 12.27% sold compared to 14.41%.
Total trading volume shrank 3% to 7.62mn shares, value by 6% to QR253.96mn and deals by 2% to 3,792.
The consumer goods and services sector's trading volume tanked 22% to 0.50mn shares, value by 14% to QR36.10mn and transactions by 16% to 409.
The industrials sector's trading volume declined plunged 28% to 0.76mn shares, value by 3% to QR42.77mn and deals by 31% to 560.
The telecom sector's trading volume declined 12% to 1.15mn shares and value by 13% to QR19.86mn while transactions rose 24% to 471.
However, the insurance sector's trading volume grew five-fold to 0.10mn shares and value by more than five-fold QR5.29mn on more than tripled deals to 90.
The transport sector's trading volume surged 44% to 0.39mn shares, in value by 6% to QR7.84mn whereas transactions shrank 10% to 224.
The banks and financial services sector's trading volume gained 4% to 2.30mn shares, while value fell 2% to QR105.66mn but deals expanded 27% to 1,341.
The real estate sector's trading volume was up 1% to 2.41mn shares, while value shrank 17% to QR36.45mn and transactions by 20% to 697.
Actively traded stocks (in terms of volume) were Mazaya Qatar (1.33mn shares); Vodafone Qatar (1.07mn); Masraf Al Rayan (680,831); UDC (598,308) and Doha Bank (373,172).
In the debt market, a total of 10,000 treasury bills (TA58) valued at QR99.27mn changed hands across mere one transaction.
© Gulf Times 2013
