Qatar Exchange index dropped 41.6 points (0.50%) during the month of December 2012 when trading closed at 8,358.94 points on the last day of the year compared to the figure registered in the month of November 2012. The market capitalization at the end of December was QR 459,883,620,869.07, an increase by 0.13% as compared to QR 459,269,863,354.88 noted at the end of November. The trading value during December increased by 0.75% when it reached QR 2,962,756,194.58 compared to the figure of QR 2,940,721,731.44 registered during November from 21 days of trading activity, the same number of days noted in December. Qatar Exchange index noted a peak of 8,422.89 points with a traded volume of 3,447,133 shares and value of QR 123,622,150.86 from 2,370 transactions registered on December 23. December 31st saw the highest traded value of the month at QR 230,443,946.20 from 2,165 transactions. The months\' lowest traded value of QR 80,016,706.59 from 1,556 transactions was registered on December 9. The trading volume in December was 60,956,448 shares, an increase by 0.54%, compared to 60,630,946 shares noted in November. The number of transactions in the last month of the year was 43,950, a drop by 2.85% compared to 45,239 transactions in November. Banks and financial services sector led the traded volume in December with 41.45% of the total (60,956,448) traded volume. Industries accounted for 17.69%, consumer goods and services accounted for 14.18%, real estate accounted for 9.99%, transportation accounted for 8.10% and telecommunications accounted for 7.62%. Banks and financial services sector led the traded value in December, accounting for 42.28% of the total value. Industrial sector accounted for 30.35%. Consumer goods and services accounted for 13.42%. Telecommunications accounted for 4.48%. Transportation accounted for 4.45%. Real estate accounted for 4.09% and insurance sector accounted for 0.92%. With a value of QR 624,336,490.50 or 21.07%, Industries Qatar (IQCD: QR 155.10 at last closing) topped the total value of QR 2,962,756,194.58 (or 2.962 Billion) of all shares traded by QE listed companies in December. Qatar National Bank (QNBK: QR130.90) was second with a total traded value of QR 452,045,054.80 or 15.26%. Masraf Al Rayan (MARK: QR 24.79) was third with QR 260,379,252.84 (8.79%). Commercialbank of Qatar\'s (CBQK: 70.90) total traded value was QR 233,915,707.40 (7.90%) and Qatar Meat and Livestock Company\'s (QMLS: QR58.80) total traded value was QR 224,009,076.10 (7.56%). From the 42 listed companies, 20 ended the month higher while 20 dropped and two maintained status quo.