Doha:The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index finished this week's trading with a decline of 2.03 percent, losing 186.630 points compared to the previous week to settle at 9,005 points. This downturn was influenced by pressure from six sectors.

According to Qatar News Agency, the banks and financial services sector experienced the most significant losses, dropping by 2.22 percent, followed by the transportation sector with a decline of 2.14 percent. However, the real estate sector emerged as the biggest gainer, with a modest rise of 0.19 percent.

Financial markets analyst Youssef Bouhaliqa commented that the QSE general index might continue to exhibit caution and weakness due to ongoing selling pressure on several listed stocks. Investors are currently awaiting the third-quarter financial results of companies, which began with encouraging announcements from Dukhan Bank and Qatar National Bank (QNB) as their results exceeded average expectations.

Bouhaliqa highlighted that the QSE index moved within a narrow range this week, indicating a wait-and-see sentiment among investors. The market lacked strong catalysts to push the index into a definitive upward trend, resulting in limited liquidity and buying activity.

He further noted that geopolitical developments in the region, including the Middle East stalemate and Ukrainian conflict, were influencing investor decisions. Amid the prevailing uncertainty, investors are becoming more selective, focusing on companies with solid financial fundamentals and stable earnings potential.

The upcoming earnings results could potentially support some leading stocks and improve investor sentiment, while any results falling short of expectations might lead to continued selling pressure.