The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Tuesday lost more than 66 points, as investors awaited the US inflation data and assessed the timing of potential interest rate cuts by the US

Federal Reserve.
A higher than average selling pressure, especially in the telecom and banking sectors, led the 20-stock Qatar Index knock off 0.64% to 10,416.52 points.
The foreign institutions were seen net profit takers in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened to 3.32%.
The foreign individuals turned bearish in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR4.1bn or 0.67% to QR608.83bn with midcap segments losing the most.
The Gulf retail investors were seen net sellers in the main market, which touched an intraday high of 10,495 points.
However, the domestic institutions turned bullish in the main bourse, which saw as many as 0.01mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan) valued at QR0.02mn trade across two deals.
The Gulf funds were also seen net buyers in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
The Islamic index declined faster than the other indices in the main bourse, which witnessed no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index shed 0.64%, the All Islamic Index by 0.72% and the All Share Index by 0.57% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.
The telecom sector index tanked 2.04%, banks and financial services (0.71%), industrials (0.51%), transport (0.35%) and real estate (0.25%); while insurance gained 0.92% and consumer goods and services 0.09%.
As much as 64% of the traded constituents were in the red with major losers being Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Qamco, Ooredoo, Qatar National Cement, Doha Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Lesha Bank, Estithmar Holding, Ezdan and Vodafone Qatar. In the venture market, Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.
Nevertheless, Beema, Zad Holding, Inma Holding, Qatari German Medical Devices, Doha Insurance, Meeza and Qatar Insurance were among the gainers in the main market.
The foreign institutions turned net sellers to the tune of QR30.63mn compared with net buyers of QR20.74mn on January 8.
The foreign individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR0.74mn against net buyers of QR1.25mn the previous day.
The Gulf retail investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR0.24mn compared with net buyers of QR0.42mn on Monday.
However, the domestic institutions were net profit takers to the extent of QR15.49mn against net sellers of QR0.76mn on January 8.
The Gulf funds turned net buyers to the tune of QR13.97mn compared with net profit takers of QR8.61mn the previous day.
The local retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR2.73mn against net sellers of QR7.78mn on Monday.
The Arab individuals’ net profit booking declined noticeably to QR0.57mn compared to QR5.25mn on January 8.
The Arab institutions had no major net exposure.
Trade volumes in the main market were down 7% to 130.31mn shares, value by 5% to QR379.56mn deals by 15% to 15,179.
The venture market saw a 67% plunge in trade volumes to 0.11mn equities, 65% in value to QR0.12mn and 56% in transactions to 12. © Gulf Times Newspaper 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).