(MENAFN - Gulf Times) The Qatar Exchange opened the week yesterday on a weaker note as its key index lost a tad 0.08% mainly on the selling pressure from local retail investors.
Foreign institutions largely pared their exposure as the 20-stock benchmark settled seven points lower at 8,557.80.
The market is down 1.43% year-to-date.
Industries Qatar, QNB and Qatar Navigation were among top losers.
The industrial sector witnessed the maximum selling as its index fell 0.35%, followed by services (0.11%) and banks (0.03%); while insurance gained 0.65%.
Market capitalisation was down 0.22% or more than QR1bn to QR449.37bn with micro, mid and large cap equities losing 0.76%, 0.21% and 0.09% respectively. Small caps gained 0.68%.
Of the 42 stocks, 17 advanced, while 15 declined, four were unchanged and six not traded.
Qatari individual investors turned profit-takers as they were net sellers to the tune of 1.39% against net buyers of 8.07% the previous trading day.
A higher 36.26% of them purchased equities compared to 29.04% last Thursday and a higher 37.65% sold against 20.97%.
The bearish pressure from non-Qatari retail investors marginally strengthened as their net selling rose to 3.97% from 3.69% the previous day.
A marginally higher 7.79% of them were into buying against 7.52% last Thursday and a marginally higher 11.76% were into offloading compared to 11.21%.
Domestic institutions were increasingly bullish as their net buying surged to 17.47% from 16.76% the previous day.
A marginally higher 47.20% of them bought equities against 46.49% last Thursday whereas the proportion of those who sold was unchanged at 29.73%.
Foreign institutions' profit-booking weakened as their net selling shrank to 12.11% from 21.14% the previous day.
A lower 8.74% of them were into buying compared to 16.95% last Thursday, but a much lower 20.85% were into selling against 38.09%.
Total trading volume fell 29% to 2.84mn equities, value by 33% to QR107.34mn and deals by 18% to 1,702.
The insurance sector's trading volume plummeted 92% to 2,624 shares, value by 93% to QR0.15mn and transactions by 73% to 8.
The industrial sector's trading volume plunged 70% to 0.12mn shares, value by 81% to QR6.04mn and transactions by 68% to 146.
Banks' trading volume tanked 43% to 1.55mn shares, value by 37% to QR63.12mn and deals by 18% to 781.
However, the services sector's trading volume soared 39% to 1.17mn shares, value by 50% to QR38.03mn and transactions by 18% to 767.
Abu Dhabi extends falls
Abu Dhabi's bourse ended lower for a 10th consecutive session yesterday, with Gulf markets extending declines as concerns over the eurozone crisis and unrest in Egypt and Syria weighed on investor sentiment.
"Global concerns are coming down on retail investors ... no one wants to take extra risks at this time," said Marwan Shurrab, vice president and chief trader at Gulfmena Alternative Investments.
The Abu Dhabi index eased 0.09% to its lowest close since March 2009. Banks led the decline.
Elsewhere in the Gulf, Dubai's index slipped 0.4% to 1,343 points and Saudi Arabia's index eased 0.2% to 6,048 points.
Bourses in Kuwait, Oman, Egypt and Bahrain were closed to mark the Islamic New Year.
