MSX index ends marginally lower

Muscat: The MSX index closed at 3,962.68 points, down 0.03 per cent from the previous close. The Sharia Index ended down by 0.31 per cent at 587.81 points.

Phoenix Power, up 2.17 per cent, was the top gainer while Gulf Mushroom Products, down 4.78 per cent, was the top loser. Shares of Bank Dhofar was the most active in terms of the number of shares traded as well as in terms of turnover.

A total number of 272 trades were executed during the day's trading session, generating a turnover of OMR1.8 million, with more than 10 million shares changing hands. Out of 46 traded securities, 7 advanced, 13 declined and 26 remained unchanged. At the session close, Domestics investors were net buyers for OMR48,000 while foreign investors were net sellers for OMR38,000 followed by GCC & Arab investors for OMR11,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 6,317 points, down 0.18 per cent. Prices of Oman & Qatar Insurance, Bank Dhofar and National Bank Oman were up 1.32 per cent, 0.85 per cent and 0.52 per cent respectively. Vision Insurance, HSBC Bank Oman, Bank Nizwa, Oman United Insurance and Al Omaniya Financial Services were down 1.27 per cent, 1.08 per cent, 1.04 per cent, 0.99 per cent and 0.84 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index closed at 6,018.97 points, down 0.09 per cent. Prices of Salalah Mills, Al Anwar Ceramics and Oman Cement were up 1.21 per cent, 0.91 per cent and 0.44 per cent respectively. Gulf Mushroom, Oman Fisheries, National Aluminum Product, Galfar Engineering and Al Maha Ceramics were down 4.78 per cent, 3.90 per cent, 2.52 per cent, 2.44 per cent and 0.40 per cent respectively.

Services Index was up by 0.08 per cent before closing at 1,709.89 points. The price of Phoenix Power was the only gainer by 2.17 per cent. Dhofar Generating, Majan College and Oman National Engineering were down 1.56 per cent, 1.27 per cent and 1.06 per cent respectively.