The foreign funds were seen bullish as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.37% higher at 10,108.2 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,130 points
Reflecting the global sentiments in the wake of signs of inflation cooling in the US, the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Wednesday gained about 37 points and its key index surpassed the 10,100 levels. The foreign funds were seen bullish as the 20-stock Qatar Index settled 0.37% higher at 10,108.2 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,130 points. The telecom, consumer goods and banking counters witnessed higher than average demand in the main market, whose year-to-date losses truncated to 6.67%. As much as 50% of the traded stocks extended gains to investors in the main bourse, whose capitalisation added QR3.75bn or 0.64% to QR588.85n on the back of midcap segments. The Arab individuals turned net buyers in the main market, which saw 0.04mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.1mn trade across 14 deals. The domestic institutions continued to be net buyers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, which saw no trading of treasury bills. The Gulf individuals were also continued to be bullish but with lesser vigour in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds. The Islamic index was seen gaining slower than the other indices in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline. The Total Return Index rose 0.37%, the All Islamic Index by 0.25% and the All Share Index by 0.49% in the main market. The telecom sector index shot up 3.51%, consumer goods and services (0.76%), banks and financial services (0.71%) and insurance (0.09%); while transport declined 0.75%, real estate (0.26%) and industrials (0.05%). Major gainers in the main bourse include Mannai Corporation, Ooredoo, Vodafone Qatar, Al Meera, QLM, QNB, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding and Gulf Warehousing. In the venture market, Al Mahhar Holding saw its shares appreciate in value. Nevertheless, Widam Food, Dukhan Bank, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Qatar Oman Investment, Nakilat and Barwa were among the shakers in the main market. The foreign institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR11.22mn compared with net sellers of QR7.27mn on August 13. The Arab individuals were net buyers to the extent of QR2.65mn against net profit takers of QR1.24mn the previous day. However, the Qatari individuals’ net buying declined substantially to QR11.08mn compared to QR2.23mn on Tuesday. The Gulf individual investors turned net sellers to the tune of QR3.7mn against net buyers of QR1mn on August 13. The foreign individuals were net sellers to the extent of QR0.45mn compared with net buyers of QR1.58mn the previous day. The Gulf institutions’ net buying declined noticeably to QR0.35mn against QR4.34mn on Tuesday. The domestic institutions’ net buying shrank significantly to QR0.99mn compared to QR3.84mn on August 13. The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the second straight session. Trade volumes in the main market fell 14% to 102.42mn shares and value by 2% to QR295.49mn, while transactions were up 3% to 14,223. The venture market saw 51% contraction in trade volumes to 0.82mn equities, 52% in value to QR1.62mn and 43% in deals to 57.
