Shares fall amid lacklustre trading

Muscat: Amid lacklustre trading in MSM and continued selling of Bank Muscat shares by foreign investors on Sunday, the benchmark Index lost 0.18 per cent before closing at 5,843.78 points. The MSM Sharia Index closed at 892.02 points, down by 0.02 per cent.
Alizz Islamic Bank was the most active in terms of volume while Bank Muscat stood as the most active in terms of turnover. Sunday’s top gainer was Al Batinah Development Holding Company, up by 3.33 per cent while the top loser was Al Jaziera Services with a loss of 3.83 per cent.
As many as 657 trades were executed on Sunday, generating turnover of OMR1.78 million with 9.4 million shares changing hands. Out of 42 traded securities, 14 advanced, 13 declined and 15 remained unchanged. Foreign investors were net sellers to the tune of OMR193,000 worth of shares, followed by GCC and Arab investors at OMR43,000. Omani investors, who were net buyers, bought shares amounting to OMR235,000.
Financial Index closed at 7,469.38 points, down by 0.19 per cent. Al Batinah Development, Ahli Bank, Gulf Investment Services, Alizz Islamic Bank, and Oman & Emirates Investment Holding increased by 3.33 per cent, 2.22 per cent, 1.75 per cent, 1.61 per cent, and 1.47 per cent, respectively. Prices of Ominvest, Bank Sohar, Al Anwar Holding, HSBC Bank Oman, and Al Sharqiya Investment declined by 1.79 per cent, 1.61 per cent, 1.53 per cent, 1.02 per cent, and 0.71 per cent, respectively.
Industrial Sector Index declined by 0.23 per cent and closed at 7497.37 points. Prices of Al Hassan Engineering, Oman Cement, Al Jazeera Steels, and Oman Cables increased by 2.60 per cent, 0.85 per cent, 0.75 per cent, and 0.55 per cent, respectively. Construction Materials, Glafar Engineering, Al Anwar Ceramics, and Gulf International Chemicals declined by 3.13 per cent, 2.80 per cent, 2.18 per cent, and 1.18 per cent, respectively.
Services sector Index declined by 0.17 per cent to close at 3196.06 points. Prices of Al Suwadi Power, Phoenix Power, and OIFC gained by 1.58 per cent, 0.65 per cent, and 0.50 per cent, respectively. Al Jazeira Services, Sembcorp Salalah, National Gas, and Oman Telecommunications declined by 3.83 per cent, 2.08 per cent, 0.65 per cent, and 0.30 per cent, respectively.