Latest news with #RamziQasmieh
Qatar Tribune
15-05-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
QSE marks fifth consecutive weekly gain as index hits multi-month high
Satyendra Pathak Doha The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) extended its winning streak for the fifth consecutive week, with the benchmark index gaining 54.55 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 10,574.59 — its highest levelsince February 16. The continued uptrend reflects growing investor confidence, improved liquidity, and easing global trade tensions. According to a report by QNB Financial Services (QNBFS), QSE's market capitalisation also rose by 1.0 percent to QR624.6 billion, up from QR618.6 billion at the end of the previous trading week. Out of the 53 listed companies, 35 ended the week higher, 16 declined, and two remained unchanged. Estithmar Holding (IGRD) was the top performer of the week, surging 10.1 percent, while Qatar Cinema & Film Distribution Company (QCFS) recorded the steepest loss at 9.4 percent. Leading contributors to the index's rise were QNB Group (QNB), Industries Qatar (IQ), and Qatar Electricity and Water Company (QEWC). QNB added 28.32 points, IQ contributed 16.35 points, and QEWC added another 9.44 points to the index. Trading activity surged across the board. The total traded value rose by 19.6 percent to QR2,343.7 million, up from QR1,959.7 million in the previous week. Estithmar Holding topped the value charts with QR205.8 million in trades. Traded volume also jumped 19.9 percent to 1,085.3 million shares compared to 905.4 million shares a week earlier. Baladna led in volume with 139 million shares exchanged. The number of transactions increased by 8.9 percent to 96,142, signaling heightened investor participation. Foreign institutions remained bullish, ending the week with net buying of QR199.3 million versus QR177.1 million the week before. Qatari institutions, however, maintained a bearish stance, with net selling of QR53.1 million, an improvement from the QR133.4 million in net selling recorded in the previous week. Foreign retail investors posted net selling of QR36.8 million, while Qatari retail investors offloaded shares worth QR109.4 million. Year-to-date, global foreign institutions are net sellers of Qatari equities by $166 million, while GCC institutions are net short by $69.3 million. Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Ramzi Qasmieh, Investment Manager at Qatar Securities Company, noted that the index's strong close marked its best performance since mid-February. 'The insurance sector led gains with a 3.12 percent rise, followed by the industrial sector, which climbed 1.86 percent. However, the transportation sector fell by 1.36 percent,' Qasmieh said. He highlighted that speculative activity fueled improved liquidity, with the weekly traded value increasing by nearly QR385 million. Looking ahead, market analysts believe the QSE may continue to benefit from improving global sentiment, easing inflation concerns, and strong quarterly results from key companies. However, they caution that continued net selling by Qatari retail investors and volatility in global markets could create intermittent headwinds. Investor focus in the coming week is expected to remain on stock-specific action, particularly in companies with solid earnings outlooks or those likely to benefit from sectoral momentum, such as insurance and industrials.
Zawya
02-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Qatar: QSE makes weekly gain of 1.8% on banking strength
Doha: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index recorded a solid gain of 183.46 points, or 1.8 percent, during the trading week to close at 10,447.63 points, marking its third consecutive week of positive performance. This upward movement was largely driven by strong demand in the banking sector, bolstered further by encouraging quarterly earnings reports from several listed companies. The overall market capitalisation of the QSE increased by 1.6 percent, rising to QR615 billion from QR605.5 billion at the end of the previous trading week. Among the 53 companies that traded during the week, 23 ended higher, 29 declined, and one remained unchanged. Qatar General Insurance & Reinsurance (QGRI) stood out as the best performing stock of the week, registering a sharp increase of 13.7 percent. On the other hand, Al Faleh Educational Holding Company (FALH) was the week's worst performer, slipping by 3.5percent. The rally was spearheaded by major banking stocks. Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) was the leading contributor to the index's gain, adding 52.20 points. QNB Group (QNB) followed closely with a contribution of 43.42 points, while Commercial Bank (CBQ) added another 27.05 points to the overall index. Despite the index's upward momentum, overall market activity saw a slight decline. The total traded value during the week fell by 6 percent to QR2,092.4 million, compared with QR2,225.9 million in the previous week. Industries Qatar (IQ) emerged as the most traded stock by value, recording a weekly turnover of QR197.3 million. Traded volume also dropped, down 15.2 percent to 932.5 million shares, compared to 1,099.1 million shares in the prior week. Baladna led the market in terms of volume, with a total of 97.4 million shares exchanged. Interestingly, the number of transactions rose by 6.7 percent to reach 100,458, up from 94,110 the week before. Investor sentiment showed notable shifts. Foreign institutional investors continued to be net buyers, though their net buying dropped to QR105.2 million from QR133.5 million the previous week. Qatari institutions turned bullish, posting net buying of QR15.0 million in contrast to net selling of QR38.1 million a week earlier. However, foreign retail investors increased their selling activity, recording net sales of QR28.2 million versus QR11.0 million the week before. Qatari retail investors also remained net sellers, offloading QR92.0 million worth of shares, compared to QR84.4 million in the prior week. On a year-to-date basis, global foreign institutions are net sellers of Qatari equities amounting to $255.5 million, while institutions from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have a net short position of $83.4 million. Speaking to QNA, Ramzi Qasmieh, Investment Manager at Qatar Securities Company, noted that the QSE Index's continued rise reflects market resilience and investor confidence, particularly in the banking sector, which gained approximately 2.86 percent during the week. He added that the industrial sector saw a 0.99 percent increase, telecommunications advanced by 1.12 percent, while the real estate sector experienced a decline of 1.2 percent. Qasmieh attributed much of the week's positive sentiment to the release of Q1 2025 earnings reports, which showed a collective year-on-year profit growth of 0.92 percent among listed companies. He highlighted that stocks such as Lesha Bank, Gulf International Services, and Beema Insurance saw stronger investor interest due to their favorable earnings results. He also pointed out that stability in global financial markets has contributed to a cautious sense of optimism among investors. From a technical standpoint, Qasmieh observed that the index is nearing a key resistance level of 10,500 points. A breakout above this level could potentially trigger further upside, possibly pushing the index toward the 10,700-point mark in the near term. Overall, the Qatar Stock Exchange concluded the week on a strong note, underpinned by a resilient banking sector and improving corporate earnings, setting a positive tone for the coming weeks despite a dip in trading volumes. © Copyright Qatar Tribune. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
21-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Qatar: 'QSE Index driven by rise in leading stocks, higher distributions'
Doha: Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) closed its last session of the week with a slight gain of 0.08%, bringing the weekly performance to a positive note, with the index rising by 0.33% overall. The highest level reached during the week was 10,654 points, after dipping to its lowest at 10,552 points. Head of Investment at Qatar Securities Company, Ramzi Qasmieh, told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the stock market's performance this week was supported by the rise of some major stocks, including Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), which increased by nearly 1.6%, as well as QNB and Industries Qatar, both rising by around 1%. He also highlighted that this week's trading marked the start of the annual general assembly season, with meetings for companies like GWC, Qatar National Cement Company, and Qatar Fuel (WOQOD) taking place. Looking ahead, Qasmieh noted that investors are expecting more general assembly meetings next week, which would lead to more generous cash distributions compared to last year. In his weekly review of the market, Qasmieh pointed out that some listed firms saw notable gains. For example, the shares of Investment Holding Company rose by nearly 11% after announcing 10% stock dividend. Al Mannai also increased by about 7% after the company reported its results and announced a 25% cash dividend for 2024. In terms of sector performance, Qasmieh mentioned that the financial sector, which holds the largest weight in the '20 Index,' posted gains of almost 1%, followed by the transport sector with a 0.44% rise. Meanwhile, the telecommunications and real estate sectors saw declines, with the telecommunications index dropping by 0.54% and the real estate index falling by 0.33%. On liquidity, Qasmieh explained that total trading for the week reached approximately QR1.98bn, with an average daily turnover of QR397m. He pointed out that the market is still moving within narrow ranges due to weaker liquidity compared to previous years at this time. © Dar Al Sharq Press, Printing and Distribution. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
