Profit-booking pulls down index marginally

Muscat: Profit-booking by both retail and institutional investors pulled down share prices on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM).
The MSM ended on a flat note to close at 5728.27 points, marginally down by 0.01 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index ended at 862.34 points, down by 0.04 per cent. Oman& Emirates was the most active in terms of volume while Bank Muscat led in terms of turnover. HSBC Bank Oman, up by 1.74 per cent, was the day’s top gainer while the top loser was Sohar Power, down by 4.17 per cent.
As many as 427 trades were executed on Sunday, generating a turnover of OMR1.43 million with 6.8 million shares changing hands. Out of 34 traded securities, 10 advanced, three declined and 21 remained unchanged. Omani investors were net buyers for OMR73,000 while GCC and Arab investors were net sellers for OMR39,000 followed by foreign investors for OMR34,000 worth of shares.
Financial Index gained 0.33 per cent to close at 7,586.8 points. HSBC Bank Oman, Bank Nizwa, Al Anwar Holding and Oman & Emirates increased by 1.74 per cent, 1.24 per cent, 1.06 per cent and 0.75 per cent, respectively.
Industrial Index ended at 7,361.60 points, marginally up by 0.01 per cent. Al Anwar Ceramics, National Aluminium and Galfar Engineering gained by 1.17 per cent, 1.05 per cent and 1 per cent, respectively. Raysut Cement was the only loser in the sector and was down by 1.33 per cent to close at OMR1.480.
Services Index closed at 3,067.39 points, down by 0.14 per cent. ACWA Power Barka and Jazeera Services gained by 0.57 per cent and 0.50 per cent, respectively. Oreedoo Oman and Sohar Power declined by 0.60 per cent and 4.17 per cent, respectively.