The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) yesterday lost more than 69 points and its key index fell below 9,800 levels on the back of selling pressure, especially in the banking sector.
The foreign institutions turned net profit takers as the 20-stock Qatar Index shed 0.7% to 9,778.87 points

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The Gulf retail investors were net sellers, albeit at lower levels, in the main market, whose year-to-date losses widened further to 8.45%.
About 64% of the traded constituents were in the red in the main bourse, whose capitalisation melted QR4.14bn or 0.72% to QR573.25bn with small cap segments losing the most.
The local retail investors’ weakened net buying had its influence on the main market, which touched an intraday high of 9,879 points.
The domestic institutions’ lower net buying also had its say in the main bourse, which saw as many as 0.08mn exchange traded funds (sponsored by Masraf Al Rayan and Doha Bank) valued at QR0.22mn trade across 27 deals.
The Arab individuals’ weakened net buying was visible in the main market, which saw no trading of sovereign bonds.
The Islamic index was seen declining slower than the other indices in the main bourse, which witnessed no trading of treasury bills.
The Total Return Index lost 0.7%, the All Islamic Index by 0.44% and the All Share Index by 0.73% in the main bourse, whose trade turnover and volumes were on the decline.
The banks and financial services sector index tanked 1.14%, followed by consumer goods and services (0.68%), industrials (0.36%), real estate (0.35%) and transport (0.18%); while insurance and telecom gained 0.39% and 0.04% respectively.
Major shakers in the main market included QLM, Qatar Oman Investment, Qatar Islamic Insurance, QNB, Mannai Corporation, Woqod, Qatari Investors Group and United Development Company.
In the venture market, Mahhar Holding saw its shares depreciate in value.
Nevertheless, Qatar National Cement, Qatar Insurance, Gulf International Services, Salam International Investment, Qatari German Medical Devices and Estithmar Holding were among the gainers in the main market.
In the junior bourse, Al Faleh Educational Holding saw its shares appreciate in value.
The foreign institutions were net sellers to the tune of QR7.71mn compared with net buyers of QR7.21mn on December 7.
The Gulf individual investors turned net sellers to the extent of QR0.08mn against net buyers of QR0.18mn last Thursday.
The local individuals’ net buying declined significantly to QR3.01mn compared to QR10.78mn the previous trading day.
The domestic institutions’ net buying weakened perceptibly to QR12.08mn against QR18.36mn on December 7.
The Arab individual investors’ net buying shrank noticeably to QR2.61mn compared to QR6.21mn last Thursday.
However, the foreign individual investors’ net buying strengthened markedly to QR6mn against QR0.43mn the previous trading day.
The Gulf institutions’ net profit booking decreased drastically to QR15.92mn compared to QR43.17mn on December 7.
The Arab institutions had no major net exposure for the third straight session.
Trade volumes in the main market plunged 22% to 83.23mn shares, value by 43% to QR221.38mn and deals by 37% to 8,214.
The venture market saw a 43% surge in trade volumes to 0.33mn equities, 62% in value to QR0.47mn and 95% in transactions to 43. © Gulf Times Newspaper 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).