QSE sees 62% of stocks in the red; index loses 19 points

16/05/2025 05:44 AST

The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) on Thursday fell about 19 points on selling pressure especially in the real estate, industrials, and transport sectors.

The foreign individuals were increasingly net sellers as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.18% to 10,574.59 points, although it touched an intraday high of 10,606 points.

The foreign institutions' weakened net buying had its influence on the main market, whose year-to-date gains truncated to 0.03%.

About 62% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation shed QR0.94bn or 0.15% to QR624.62bn on the back of microcap segments.

The Gulf retail investors were seen increasingly net profit takers in the main market, which saw as many as 0.05mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by AlRayan Bank and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.13mn trade across 15 deals.

The domestic funds continued to be net sellers but with lesser intensity in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.

The Islamic index was seen declining faster than the other indices of the main market, which saw no trading of treasury bills.

The local retail investors continued to be bearish but with lesser vigour in the main bourse, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.

The Total Return Index was down 0.18%, the All Islamic Index by 0.25% and the All Share Index by 0.15% in the main market.

The realty sector index shrank 1.08%, industrials (0.7%), transport (0.23%) and banks and financial services (0.11%); whereas telecom gained 1.64%, insurance (0.17%) and consumer goods and services (0.14%).

Major losers in the main market included Qatar Electricity and Water, Barwa, Ezdan, Alijarah Holding, Estithmar Holding, Dukhan Bank, Salam International Investment, Gulf Warehousing and Milaha. In the junior bourse, Techno Q saw its shares depreciate in value.

Nevertheless, Lesha Bank, Medicare Group, Mannai Corporation, Vodafone Qatar and Ooredoo were among the movers in the main market.

The foreign individual investors' net selling grew noticeably to QR7.72mn compared to QR3.06mn on Wednesday.

The Gulf retail investors' net profit booking expanded marginally to QR0.4mn against QR0.32mn the previous day.

The foreign institutions' net buying decreased substantially to QR16.87mn compared to QR34.76mn on May 14.

However, the Gulf institutions' net buying increased considerably to QR14mn against QR2.86mn on Wednesday.

The domestic institutions' net selling weakened markedly to QR9.78mn compared to QR13.79mn the previous day.

The Arab retail investors' net profit booking declined noticeably to QR6.5mn against QR11.72mn on May 14.

The Qatari individual investors' net selling eased perceptibly to QR6.47mn compared to QR8.76mn on Wednesday.

The Arab institutions had no major net exposure against net buyers to the tune of QR0.03mn the previous day.

The main market witnessed a 23% contraction in trade volumes to 169.12mn shares and 4% in value to QR446.69mn but on 3% jump in deals to 22,508.

In the venture market, a total of 3,883 equities valued at QR0.01mn changed hands across four transactions.

Gulf Times