MSX index ends marginally higher

Muscat: The MSX index closed at 4,124.44 points, up by 0.33 per cent from the previous close. The Sharia Index ended up by 0.30 per cent at 503.18 points.

Muscat City Desalination, up 4.60 per cent, was the top gainer while, Raysut Cement, down 3.52 per cent, was the top loser. Shares of Ahli Bank were the most active in terms of the number of shares traded as well as in terms of turnover.

A total number of 527 trades were executed during the day's trading session, generating a turnover of OMR12.6 million, with more than 98.6 million shares changing hands. Out of 42 traded securities, 14 advanced, 11 declined and 17 remained unchanged. At the session close, Omani investors were net buyers for OMR356,000 while foreign investors were net sellers for OMR183,000 followed by GCC & Arab investors for OMR173,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 6,583.03 points, up by 0.42 per cent. Prices of Sohar International Bank, Vision Insurance, Ahli Bank, Al Sharqia Investment, and Al Madina Takaful were up by 2.78 per cent, 2.44 per cent, 1.7 per cent, 1.09 per cent, and 1.04 per cent respectively. Prices of Global Financial Investments, Muscat Finance, United Finance, Taageer Finance, and HSBC Bank Oman were down by 2.7 per cent, 1.64 per cent, 1.47 per cent, 1.22 per cent, and 1 per cent respectively.                    

                                                                                  
Industrial Index closed at 5,813.11 points, down by 0.34 per cent. Prices of Al Maha Ceramics, Oman Cables Industry, Oman Flour Mills, Oman Cement, and Al Anwar Ceramics were up by 2.29 per cent, 0 per cent, 0 per cent, 0 per cent, and 0 per cent respectively. Prices of Raysut Cement, Jazeera Steel Products, Galfar Engineering, Oman Ceramics, and Gulf Stones were down by 3.52 per cent, 1.49 per cent, 1.35 per cent, 0 per cent, and 0 per cent respectively.

Services Index was up by 0.07 per cent before closing at 1,605.55 points. Prices of Muscat Desalination, Oman National Engineering, Al Batinah Power, National Gas, and OIFC were up by 4.6 per cent, 2.54 per cent, 2.08 per cent, 1.56 per cent, and 0.64 per cent respectively. Prices of Phoenix Power, Dhofar Generating, Ooredoo, Al Batinah Hotels, and United Power - Preferential Shares were down by 2.08 per cent, 1.7 per cent, 1.12 per cent, 0 per cent, and 0 per cent respectively.