MSX index ends marginally higher

Muscat: The MSX index closed at 4159.32 points, up by 0.11 per cent from the previous close. The Sharia Index ended up by 0.07 per cent at 472.97 points. A'Saffa Foods, up 9.9 per cent, was the top gainer while, Barka Desalination, down 2.78 per cent, was the top loser. Shares of Al Madina Takaful were the most active in terms of the number of shares traded while Bank Muscat were the most active in terms of turnover.

A total number of 377 trades were executed during the day's trading session, generating a turnover of OMR1.78 million, with more than 6.72 million shares changing hands. Out of 47 traded securities, 9 advanced, 10 declined, and 28 remained unchanged. At the session, close foreign investors were net sellers for OMR177,000, followed by GCC & Arab investors for OMR85,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 6622.51 points, up 0.24 per cent. Prices of HSBC Bank Oman, DIDIC, Oman & Emirates Investment and Ahli Bank were up by 2.78 per cent, 1.33 per cent, and 1.16 per cent respectively. Prices of Oman Qatar Insurance, Muscat Finance, Al Sharqia Investment and National Bank Oman were down by 1.38 per cent, 1.33 per cent, 1.06 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index closed at 6112.22 points, up 0.34 per cent. Prices of A'Saffa Foods, Al Maha Ceramics, Jazeera Steel Products and Oman Cement were up by 9.9 per cent, 2.75 per cent, 1.62 per cent and 0.78 per cent respectively. Prices of Oman Fisheries, Al Anwar Ceramics and Voltamp Energy, and Salalah Mills were down by 1.74 per cent and 0.91 per cent respectively.

Services Index was up by 0.21 per cent before closing at 1627.15 points. Prices of Sembcorp - Preference Shares were up by 4.29 per cent respectively. Prices of Barka Desalination, Oman National Engineering, Oman Telecom and Renaissance Services - Preferential Shares were down by 2.78 per cent, 1.87 per cent, 0.47 per cent and 0.44 per cent respectively.