MSX index ends higher

Muscat: The MSX index closed at 4,845.41 points, up by 0.29 per cent from the previous close. The Sharia Index ended up by 0.09 per cent at 499.13 points.

Al Omaniya Financial Services, up 6.94 per cent, was the top gainer while Galfar Engineering, down 2.30 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 781 trades were executed during the day's trading session, generating a turnover of OMR5.62 million, with more than 23.25 million shares changing hands. Out of 48 traded securities, 18 advanced, 10 declined, and 20 remained unchanged. At the session close, foreign investors were net buyers for OMR59,000 while domestic investors were net sellers for OMR45,000, followed by GCC & Arab investors for OMR14,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 7,860.85 points, up 0.55 per cent. Prices of Al Omaniya Financial Services, Takaful Oman, Oman & Emirates Investment, United Finance, and Bank Dhofar were up by 6.94 per cent, 4.65 per cent, 4.00 per cent, 3.03 per cent and 2.34 per cent respectively. Prices of Al Batinah Development Company and Oman Arab Bank were down by 4.27 per cent and 1.58 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index closed at 6,355.57 points, up 0.62 per cent. Prices of Dhofar Beverages, Oman Cables Industry, A'Saffa Foods, Raysut Cement, and Oman Fisheries were up by 4.27 per cent, 1.85 per cent, 1.71 per cent, 1.27 per cent and 0.96 per cent respectively. Prices of Galfar Engineering, Al Maha Ceramics, Voltamp Energy and Gulf Mushroom Products were down by 2.30 per cent, 2.27 per cent, 2.22 per cent and 1.25 per cent respectively.

Services Index was down by 0.32 per cent before closing at 1,610.73 points. Prices of OIFC, Sembcorp Salalah, Barka Desalination, Phoenix Power, and Ooredoo were up by 3.85 per cent, 3.13 per cent, 2.99 per cent, 2.33 per cent and 1.38 per cent respectively. Prices of Al Jazeera Services, Oman Telecom and Shell Oman Marketing were down by 1.05 per cent, 0.86 per cent and 0.45 per cent respectively.