MSX index ends marginally lower

Muscat: The MSX index closed at 4,273.46 points, down by 0.46 per cent from the previous close. The Sharia Index ended up by 0.29 per cent at 490.90 points.

Oman Flour Mills, up 5.88 per cent, was the top gainer while, Oman Arab Bank, down 7.25 per cent, was the top loser. Shares of Omantel were the most active in terms of the number of shares traded as well as in terms of turnover.

A total number of 630 trades were executed during the day's trading session, generating a turnover of OMR3.7 million, with more than 13.5 million shares changing hands. Out of 46 traded securities, 13 advanced, 11 declined and 20 remained unchanged. At the session close, GCC & Arab investors were net buyers for OMR1.8 million while domestic investors were net sellers for OMR1.7 million followed by foreign investors for OMR136,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 6852.75 points, down by 1.42 per cent. Prices of Al Omaniya Financial Services, Global Financial Investments, Al Anwar Investment, Al Madina Takaful, and Ominvest were up by 2.4 per cent, 1.47 per cent, 1.21 per cent, 1.03 per cent, and 0.61 per cent respectively. Prices of Bank Dhofar, Ahli Bank, HSBC Bank Oman, Al Batinah Development Company and DIDIC were down by 0.84 per cent, 0.81 per cent, 0.8 per cent, 0 per cent, and 0 per cent respectively.       

              
Industrial Index closed at 6073.32 points, up by 0.63 per cent. Prices of Oman Flour Mills, National Aluminium, Al Maha Ceramics, Oman Cement, and Oman Cables Industry were up by 5.88 per cent, 1.22 per cent, 1.2 per cent, 0.42 per cent, and 0 per cent respectively. Prices of Al Anwar Ceramics, Oman Ceramics, Gulf Stones, Al Hassan Engineering, and Abrasives Manufacturing were down by 0.44 per cent, 0 per cent, 0 per cent, 0 per cent, and 0 per cent respectively.

Services Index was down by 0.13 per cent before closing at 1624.7 points. Prices of Oman National Engineering, Oman Telecom, Ooredoo, OIFC, and National Gas were up by 1.77 per cent, 0.91 per cent, 0.6 per cent, 0 per cent, and 0 per cent respectively