Recovery in blue chip stocks lift MSM index

Muscat: Recovery in index large caps lifted the MSM30 Index by 0.34 per cent to 5,654.02 points. The MSM Sharia Index was stable at 846.27 points, up by 0.04 per cent. Oman Fisheries was the most active in terms of volume while Ooredoo led in terms of turnover. Al Madina Investment was the top gainer, up by 3.03 per cent, while Al Omaniya Financial Services was the top loser with a loss of 2.10 per cent.
As many as 669 trades were executed on Sunday, generating turnover of OMR2.45 million with 9.11 million shares changing hands. Out of 41 traded securities, 12 advanced, 11 declined and 18 remained unchanged. GCC and Arab investors remained net buyers for OMR224,000 while Omani investors were net sellers for OMR218,000 followed by foreign investors for OMR6,000 worth of shares.
Financial Index advanced 0.46 per cent to end at 8,017.80 points. Al Madina Investments, Bank Dhofar, Al Anwar Holding, HSBC Bank and National Bank of Oman increased by 3.03 per cent, 2.79 per cent, 1.01 per cent, 0.79 per cent and 0.40 per cent, respectively. Al Omaniya Financial Services, Bank Sohar and Bank Muscat declined by 2.10 per cent, 0.66 per cent and 0.51 per cent, respectively.
Industrial Index retreated 0.18 per cent to close at 7,868.88 points. Gulf International Chemicals and Oman Fisheries gained 1.39 per cent and 1.11 per cent, respectively. Al Maha Ceramics, Galfar Engineering, Al Anwar Ceramics and Voltamp Energy lost 1.29 per cent, 1.18 per cent, 0.64 per cent and 0.36 per cent, respectively.
Services Index closed at 2,936.91 points, up by 0.22 per cent. Oman Telecommunications Company, Sembcorp Salalah, Al Jazeera Services and Al Suwadi Power gained 1.42 per cent, 1.24 per cent, 0.57 per cent and 0.54 per cent, respectively. Port Services, Al Batinah Power, OIFC and National Gas declined by 1.67 per cent, 0.55 per cent, 0.43 per cent and 0.39 per cent, respectively.