Muscat bourse edges down

Business Sunday 05/March/2017 16:43 PM
By: Times News Service
Muscat bourse edges down

Muscat: Shares on the Muscat bourse edged down on profit-booking. The general index - MSM30 index - ended lower at 5,80781 points, down by 0.12 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index ended at 860.18 points, marginally down by 0.09 per cent. Al Anwar Holding was the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. Al Anwar Holding remained the top gainer, up by 6.19 per cent, while Al Sharqiyah Investment was the top loser, down by 3.01 per cent.
As many as 1319 trades were executed on Sunday, generating turnover of OMR4.86 million with 24.67 million shares changing hands. Out of 44 traded securities, 16 advanced, 11 declined and 17 remained unchanged. Omani investors switched to net buyers for OMR847,000, while foreign investors were net sellers for OMR504,000 followed by GCC and Arab investors for OMR343,000 worth of shares.
Financial Index was up by 0.29 per cent to close at 8,204.88 points. Al Anwar Holding, Taageer Finance Al Madina Investment and Bank Sohar increased by 6.19 per cent, 1.48 per cent, 1.47 per cent, and 1.28 per cent, respectively. Al Sharqiya Investment, Ahli Bank and Bank Muscat fell by 3.01 per cent, 0.99 per cent and 0.84 per cent, respectively.
Industrial Index advanced 0.61 per cent to finish at 8018.83 points. Oman Fisheries, Galfar Engineering, Al Anwar Ceramics and Voltamp Energy gained by 5.65 per cent, 2.17 per cent, 1.24 per cent and 0.76 per cent, respectively. Raysut Cement and Al Maha Ceramics fell by 1.04 per cent and 0.41 per cent, respectively.
Services Index ended on a flat note to close at 3,029.21 points, marginally down by 0.02 per cent. Oman Investment and Finance Company, Al Jazeira Services, Port Services and ACWA Power Barka increased by 3.08 per cent, 2.04 per cent, 0.65 per cent and 0.56 per cent, respectively.
Other Gulf markets
Most Gulf bourses edged down in light, early trade on Sunday, while Kuwait outperformed on the back of financial stocks.
Saudi Arabia's index inched down 0.1 per cent in the first 15 minutes of trade. Banks were weak with heavyweight National Commercial Bank declining 0.5 per cent.
Al Sagr Cooperative Insurance dropped 2.6 per cent after the board recommended a cash dividend for 2016 of 2 riyals per share, the same payout as for the prior year.
Dubai's index was down 0.5 per cent at 3,565 points, nearing minor technical support on its February low of 3,551 points; any break would point to a move down towards stronger support at the late December lows around 3,500 points.
Nine-tenths of traded shares declined with theme park operator DXB Entertainments, the most active stock, losing 1.0 per cent.
Abu Dhabi's index edged 0.2 per cent lower as National Bank of Abu Dhabi fell 1.9 per cent and First Gulf Bank slipped 0.4 per cent. The pair are due to merge on April 1.
In Qatar, the index fell 0.3 per cent as a little over half of shares traded lower. Doha Bank was down 1.1 per cent.
Kuwait's index was up 0.7 per cent on the back of a 1.6 per cent gain by Kuwait Finance House, as well as a 3.0 per cent surge by Burgan Bank in unusually heavy trade.