Satyendra Pathak
Doha
The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) continues to offer promising investment opportunities despite market fluctuations, financial markets analyst Youssef Bouhlaika has said. Supported by strong economic fundamentals and strategic initiatives, Bouhlaika said, the QSE remains a key destination for investors looking for long-term growth.
Although the QSE Index declined by 79.50 points, or 0.8 percent, during the week to close at 10,343.68 points, and market capitalisation edged down 0.5 percent to QR605.8 billion from QR608.8 billion in the previous week, the overall performance of QSE-listed companies reflects resilience and potential for future growth.
Of the 52 traded companies, 31 ended the week higher, 20 ended lower, and one remained unchanged. Mannai Corporation was the worst-performing stock for the week, dropping 6.5 percent, while Qatari German Company for Medical Devices was the best-performing stock, gaining13.6 percent.
Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), QNB Group (QNB), and Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB) were the main contributors to the weekly index drop. QIB and QNB removed 35.69 and 27.26 points from the index, respectively, while QIIB shrunk another12.56 points.
Traded value during the week increased by 16.2 percent to reach QR2,221.3 million from QR1,911.0 million in the previous trading week.
QNB Group was the top value traded stock, with a total traded value of QR334.6 million. Traded volume rose by 22.2 percent to 861.1 million shares compared with 704.5 million shares in the prior week. The number of transactions saw a significant increase of 101.8 percent, reaching 137,814 compared to 68,285 in the previous week. Ezdan Holding Group (ERES) was the most traded stock by volume, with a total traded volume of 121.7 million shares.
Foreign institutions remained bearish, ending the week with net selling of QR227.2 million against QR243.5 million in the previous week. Meanwhile, Qatari institutions remained bullish with net buying of QR185.4 million compared to QR210.2 million in the previous week.
Foreign retail investors ended the week with net buying of QR15.1 million against QR3 million in the previous week, while Qatari retail investors recorded net buying of QR26.7 million compared to QR30.3 million.
Year to date, global foreign institutions have been net sellers by $299.4 million, while GCC institutions have sold Qatari stocks worth$68.8 million.
Financial markets analyst Youssef Bouhlaika told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the QSE, like other regional markets, witnessed a mixed performance during the week preceding the Eid Al Fitr holiday, with a negative outlook due to ongoing pressures from the global trade war.
“These conditions led to a decline in trading values across regional stock exchanges, with selling dominating buying and the average trading value reaching approximately QR316.6 million,”he said.
Despite these challenges, Bouhlaika highlighted the attractive investment opportunities offered by the QSE, supported by strong economic fundamentals and diverse initiatives.
“A major boost to investor confidence came with the announcement that the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) production line will commence in 2026. Additionally, the post-Eid period will see the release of financial results for listed companies, providing new momentum to trading activity,” he said.
Bouhlaika also praised the performance of QSE-listed companies, which achieved a total net profit of QR51.18 billion by the end of 2024, marking an 8.7 percent increase compared to 2023. This steady growth in corporate earnings reinforces the QSE’s position as an attractive market for investors, despite short-term fluctuations.
