Geopolitical concerns drag QSE down 143 points; M-cap erodes QR7.66bn

16/01/2026 02:42 AST

Rising geopolitical tensions led Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) to lose more than 143 points as its key index sunk below 11,100 points and capitalisation eroded more than QR7bn.

An across the board selling dragged the 20-stock Qatar Index 1.28% to 11,067.64 points, although it touched an intraday high of 11,204 points.

The weakened net buying interests of both foreign and Gulf institutions had its influence on the main market, whose year-to-date gains truncated further to 2.84%.

More than 81% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation plummeted QR7.66bn or 1.14% to QR663.49bn mainly on large and midcap segments.

The Arab individuals were seen increasingly net profit takers in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.

The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the main barometer of the main market, which saw as many as 0.03mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.19mn trade across 23 deals.

However, the local retail investors turned bullish in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.

The Gulf individuals were also seen net buyers in the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.

The Total Return Index shed 1.28%, the All Share Index by 1.24% and the All Islamic Index by 1.29% in the main market.

The insurance sector index tanked 2.71%, transport (2.07%), telecom (1.61%), real estate (1.34%), banks and financial services (1.28%), industrials (0.64%) and consumer goods and services (0.34%).

As many as eight only gained, while 43 declined and two were unchanged.

Major shakers in the main market included Qatar General Insurance and Reinsurance, Milaha, Al Faleh Educational Holding, Qatar German Medical Devices, Qatar Insurance, Qatar Islamic Bank, QIIB, Commercial Bank, Dukhan Bank, Mannai Corporation, Qatar Electricity and Water, Gulf International Services, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Ezdan, Vodafone Qatar, Ooredoo and Nakilat.

In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.

Nevertheless, Al Mahhar Holding, Mosanada Facilities Management, Qatari Investors Group, Woqod and Mekdam Holding were among the movers in the main market.

The Arab retail investors' net profit booking expanded substantially to QR21.06mn compared to QR8.37mn on January 14.

The foreign institutions' net buying declined significantly to QR0.51mn against QR34.52mn the previous day.

The Gulf institutions' net buying decreased perceptibly to QR15.69mn compared to QR22.64mn on Wednesday.

The domestic institutions net buying eased noticeably to QR1.48mn against QR4.55mn on January 14.

However, the local individuals turned net buyers to the tune of QR3.6mn compared with net sellers of QR41.45mn the previous day.

The Gulf retail investors were net buyers to the extent of QR2.71mn against net profit takers of QR0.54mn on Wednesday.

The foreign individuals' net selling decreased drastically to QR2.93mn compared to QR11.83mn on January 14.

The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net buyers to the tune of QR0.5mn the previous day.

The main market saw a 5% fall in trade volumes to 128.43mn shares, 10% in value to QR390.62mn and 11% in deals to 38,911.

In the venture market, a total of 0.05mn equities valued at QR0.11mn changed hands across 11 transactions.

Gulf Times