The Qatar Stock Exchange largely treaded a flat path on Tuesday despite more than 76% of the traded stocks losing value.

Local and foreign retail investors as well as Gulf institutions turned net profit takers as the 20-stock Qatar Index was up a mere 0.38 points to 10,398.33 points.

Buying interests in the banking and transport sectors was to a great extent contained by selling pressure — especially in the insurance, consumer goods and real estate — in the market, which is down 15.37% year-to-date.

Large cap equities were seen high in demand in the bourse, where overall volumes declined as large institutional investors are away on holidays.

However, domestic and foreign institutions were seen bullish in the bourse, where the industrials, telecom and banking sectors dominated the trading ring as their stocks accounted for more than 63% of the volumes.

Market capitalisation rose 0.35% or about QR2bn to QR551.21bn with large cap equities gaining 0.6%; while small, mid and micro caps falling 1.34%, 0.86% and 0.09% respectively.

The Total Return Index was rather unchanged at 16,162.71 points, while All Share Index was down 0.02% to 2,764.81 points and Al Rayan Islamic Index by 0.47% to 3,827.1 points.

Banks and financial services stocks gained 0.52% and transport 0.23%; whereas insurance shrank 2.22%, consumer goods (0.76%), realty (0.37%), telecom (0.09%) and industrials (0.01%).

Major gainers included QNB, Industries Qatar, Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding, Ooredoo and Milaha; even as Qatar Islamic Bank, Commercial Bank, Doha Bank, Al Khaliji, Aamal Company, Gulf International Services, Qatar Insurance, Mazaya Qatar, United Development Company, Ezdan, Barwa, Vodafone Qatar and Nakilat bucked the trend.

Local retail investors turned net sellers to the extent of QR11.97mn compared with net buyers of QR12.2mn the previous day.

The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) institutions were also net sellers to the tune of QR3.08mn against net buyers of QR9.07mn on Monday.

Non-Qatari individual investors turned net sellers to the extent of QR5.47mn compared with net buyers of QR2.77mn on December 28.

The GCC individual investors’ net profit booking strengthened to QR9.93mn against QR0.7mn the previous day.

However, domestic institutions turned net buyers to the tune of QR10.09mn compared with net buyers of QR9.8mn on Monday.

Non-Qatari institutions were also net buyers to the extent of QR20.4mn against net sellers of QR13.52mn on December 28.

Total trade volume fell 22% to 4.85mn shares, value by 20% to QR199.77mn and deals by 21% to 2,562.

There was 52% plunge in the consumer goods sector’s trade volume to 0.26mn equities, 56% in value to QR8.16mn and 42% in transactions to 166.

The industrials sector’s trade volume plummeted 47% to 1.17mn stocks, value by 29% to QR82.45mn and deals by 40% to 727.

The market witnessed 20% shrinkage in the insurance sector’s trade volume to 0.08mn shares, 13% in value to QR5.21mn and 29% in transactions to 76.

The banks and financial services sector’s trade volume tanked 19% to 0.77mn equities and value by 9% to QR46.76mn, while deals grew 7% to 679.

The real estate sector saw 14% decline in trade volume to 0.74mn stocks, 18% in value to QR16.27mn and 2% in transactions to 332.

The telecom sector’s trade volume was down 7% to 1.13mn shares, value by 25% to QR18.91mn and deals by 25% to 438.

However, the transport sector’s trade volume more than doubled to 0.72mn equities, value surged 70% to QR22mn and transactions by 45% to 144.

In the debt market, there was no trading of treasury bills and government bonds.