MSX index ends marginally higher

Muscat: The MSX index closed at 4,090.72 points, up by 0.21 per cent from the previous close. The Sharia Index ended down by 0.64 per cent at 497.19 points.

Muscat Desalinate, up 9.91 per cent, was the top gainer while, Takaful Oman, down 10.00 per cent, was the top loser. Shares of United Finance were the most active in terms of the number of shares traded while Oman Refreshment was the most active in terms of turnover.

A total number of 659 trades were executed during the day's trading session, generating a turnover of OMR5.46 million, with more than 24.4 million shares changing hands. Out of 51 traded securities, 18 advanced, 8 declined and 25 remained unchanged. At the session close, domestic investors were net buyers for OMR274,000 while foreign investors were net sellers for OMR185,000 followed by GCC & Arab investors for OMR89,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 6489.16 points, up by 0.12 per cent. Prices of United Finance, Vision Insurance, Muscat Finance, Global Financial Investments, and National Bank Oman were up by 4.62 per cent, 4.04 per cent, 3.39 per cent, 2.86 per cent, and 2.2 per cent respectively. Prices of Takaful Oman, Oman & Emirates Investment, Al Omaniya Financial Services, Ominvest, and Al Batinah Development Company were down by 10 per cent, 1.43 per cent, 0.74 per cent, 0.67 per cent, and 0 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index closed at 5749.97 points, up by 0.59 per cent. Prices of Dhofar Cattle Feed, National Aluminium, Oman Fisheries, Oman Cables Industry, and Jazeera Steel Products were up by 7.02 per cent, 5.56 per cent, 5 per cent, 3.11 per cent, and 2.13 per cent respectively. Prices of Al Maha Ceramics, Oman Ceramics, Gulf Stones, Al Hassan Engineering, and Abrasives Manufacturing were down by 1.72 per cent, 0 per cent, 0 per cent, 0 per cent, and 0 per cent respectively.

Services Index was up by 0.58 per cent before closing at 1647.17 points. Prices of Muscat Desalination, Al Batinah Power, Sembcorp Salalah, Renaissance Services, and Ooredoo were up by 9.91 per cent, 2.08 per cent, 1.35 per cent, 0.9 per cent, and 0.56 per cent respectively. Prices of Oman National Engineering, Sharqiyah Desalination, Al Batinah Hotels, United Power - Preferential Shares, and United Power were down by 2.54 per cent, 2.1 per cent, 0 per cent, 0 per cent, and 0 per cent respectively.