The bullish momentum at the Qatar Exchange was sustained yesterday, mainly supported by large cap stocks. Foreign institutions were seen imparting buying pressure as the 20-stock QE Index (based on price data) rose 0.18% to 8,396.05 points. The market is, however, down 4.36% year-to-date. The 20-stock Total Return Index also rose 0.18% to 11,362.88 points and the All Share Index (comprising wider constituents) by 0.09% to 2,023.48 points respectively. Both the indices factored in dividend income as well. Under the All Share Index category, the real estate index gained 0.25%, followed by industrials (0.22%), banks and financial services (0.20%) and consumer goods (0.05%); while the indices of insurance, transport and telecom shrank 1.13%, 0.45% and 0.17% respectively. Market capitalisation was up 0.33% or more than QR1bn to QR459.28bn mainly on a 0.24% jump in large cap equities, even as small and micro caps lost 0.31% and 0.12% respectively. Of the 42 stocks, 19 advanced, while 18 declined, one was unchanged and four were not traded. Qatari individual investors' net buying sunk to 6.15% or QR8.74mn. A lower 35.66% of them purchased equities compared to 41.83% on Monday, whereas a higher 29.51% sold against 27.94%. Non-Qatari retail investors were net buyers to the tune of 3.38% or QR4.80mn. A marginally higher 12.95% of them were into buying against 12.15% on Monday, while a lower 9.57% compared to 14.47%. Foreign institutions' net selling slipped to 14.65% or QR20.81mn. A much higher 36.41% of them were into buying against 19.60% on Monday and a higher 51.06% of them into selling compared to 41.94%. Domestic institutions' net buying fell to 5.11% or QR7.26mn. A much lower 14.97% of them bought equities compared to 26.42% on Monday and a lower 9.68% offloaded against 15.65%. Total trading volume rose 28% to 3.31mn shares and value by 11% QR142.07mn, while deals fell 8% to 2,060. The insurance sector's trading volume grew five-fold to 0.05mn shares and value by more than six-fold to QR2.98mn on almost tripled transactions to 38. The industrials sector's trading volume more than doubled to 0.57mn shares, value soared 50% to QR45.86mn and deals by 49% to 516. The transport sector's trading volume surged 30% to 0.39mn shares, whereas value declined 31% to QR7.01mn and transactions by 20% to 212 The banks and financial services sector's trading volume gained 29% to 1.54mn shares and value by 12% to QR68.18mn but deals were down 15% to 777. The consumer goods and services sector's trading volume was up 9% to 0.25mn shares, while value shrank 35% to QR9.54mn and transactions by 36% to 217. However, the telecom sector's trading volume tanked 31% to 0.18mn shares, value by 62% to QR1.86mn and deals by 46% to 74. The real estate sector's trading volume was down 3% to 0.32mn shares, while value rose 2% to QR6.65mn but transactions fell 5% to 226. Actively traded stocks (in terms of volume) were Masraf Al Rayan (513,071 shares); Nakilat (359,141); Commercialbank (266,815); Gulf International Services (246,746) and QatarOman Investment (222,274). gulf-times
