MSX index ends higher

Muscat: The MSX index closed at 4,419.3 points, up by 2.8 per cent from the previous close. The Sharia Index ended up by 1.04 per cent at 461.72 points.

HSBC Bank Oman, up 10 per cent, was the top gainer while SMN Power Holding, down 4.44 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 849 trades were executed during the day's trading session, generating a turnover of OMR6.2 million, with more than 22.95 million shares changing hands. Out of 51 traded securities, 32 advanced, 7 declined, and 12 remained unchanged. At the session close, domestic investors were net buyers for OMR953,000 while GCC & Arab investors were net sellers for OMR668,000, followed by foreign investors for OMR285,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 7,055.87 points, up 3.39 per cent. Prices of HSBC Bank Oman, Sohar International Bank, Vision Insurance, Taageer Finance and Al Sharqia Investment were up by 10 per cent, 7.69 per cent, 7 per cent, 5.26 per cent and 5.13 per cent respectively. Takaful Oman was the only loser down by 4.26 per cent.

Industrial Index closed at 5,628.4 points, up 0.32 per cent. Prices of Oman Fisheries, A'Saffa Foods, Oman Cement, Galfar Engineering and Voltamp Energy were up by 5.66 per cent, 3.57 per cent, 3.11 per cent, 2.46 per cent and 2.11 per cent respectively. Prices of Jazeera Steel Products, Al Maha Ceramics and Al Anwar Ceramics were down by 3.23 per cent, 2.07 per cent and 0.47 per cent respectively.

Services Index was up by 1.41 per cent before closing at 1,645.03 points. Prices of Oman Oil Marketing, Renaissance Services, OIFC, Al Jazeera Services and National Gas were up by 5.77 per cent, 4.44 per cent, 3.85 per cent, 3.64 per cent and 2.99 per cent respectively. Prices of SMN Power Holding and Phoenix Power were down by 4.44 per cent and 4.08 per cent respectively.