MSX index ends marginally higher

Muscat: The MSX index closed at 4,314.35 points, up by 0.28 per cent from the previous close. The Sharia Index ended up by 0.14 per cent at 489.52 points.

Raysut Cement, up 4.00 per cent, was the top gainer while, Al Madina Investment, down 8.33 per cent, was the top loser. Shares of Bank Muscat were the most active in terms of the number of shares traded as well as in terms of turnover.

A total number of 515 trades were executed during the day's trading session, generating a turnover of OMR4.6 million, with more than 12 million shares changing hands. Out of 38 traded securities, 11 advanced, 13 declined and 14 remained unchanged. At the session close, GCC & Arab investors were net buyers for OMR1.2 million while domestic investors were net sellers for OMR1.15 million followed by foreign investors for OMR31,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 6951.26 points, up by 0.33 per cent. Prices of Ahli Bank, National Bank Oman, Bank Muscat, Al Madina Takaful, and Vision Insurance were up by 1.64 per cent, 1.45 per cent, 1.09 per cent, 1.04 per cent, and 0 per cent respectively. Prices of Al Madina Investments, Global Financial Investments, Oman & Emirates Investment, Al Anwar Investment, and Sohar International Bank were down by 8.33 per cent, 2.86 per cent, 1.41 per cent, 1.19 per cent and 0.85 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index closed at 6035.23 points, up by 0.45 per cent. Prices of Raysut Cement, Oman Cables Industry, Jazeera Steel Products, Al Maha Ceramics, and Oman Flour Mills were up by 4 per cent, 3.45 per cent, 0.46 per cent, 0.4 per cent, and 0 per cent respectively. Prices of Oman Fisheries, National Aluminium, Galfar Engineering, Voltamp Energy, and Al Anwar Ceramics were down by 3.49 per cent, 2.38 per cent, 1.39 per cent, 0.82 per cent, and 0.44 per cent respectively.

Services Index was up by 0.08 per cent before closing at 1626.89 points. Prices of Al Suwadi Power, Oman Telecom, Renaissance Services, OIFC, and Ooredoo were up by 2.08 per cent, 0.46 per cent, 0.46 per cent, 0 per cent, and 0 per cent respectively. Prices of Al Batinah Power, Oman National Engineering and National Gas were down by 2.04 per cent, 1.74 per cent and 0.73 per cent respectively.