MSX index ends marginally higher

Muscat: The MSX index closed at 3,973.69 points, up 0.43 per cent from the previous close. The Sharia Index ended down by 0.72 per cent at 573.15 points.

Jazeera Steel Product was the top gainer, up by 9.82 per cent. While Asaffa Foods, down 9.88 per cent, was the top loser. Shares of Muscat Finance was the most active in terms of the number of shares traded while Renaissance Services was the most active in terms of turnover.

A total number of 493 trades were executed during the day's trading session, generating a turnover of OMR1.2 million, with more than 7 million shares changing hands. Out of 44 traded securities, 17 advanced, 12 declined and 15 remained unchanged. At the session close, local investors were net buyers for OMR37,000 while GCC & Arab investors were net sellers for OMR19,000 followed by foreign investors for OMR18,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 6,265 points, down 0.15 per cent. Prices of Muscat Finance, Oman & Qatar Insurance, Ominvest, HSBC Bank Oman and Sohar International Bank were up 3.33 per cent, 2.08 per cent, 1.29 per cent, 1.12 per cent and 1.10 per cent respectively. Oman & Emirates Holding, Vision Insurance, Takaful Oman, Global Investment Holding and Al Anwar Investment are down 6.67 per cent, 4.94 per cent, 3.16 per cent, 2.94 per cent and 2.78 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index closed at 6,132.49 points, down 1.08 per cent. Prices of Jazeera Steel Product, Gulf Mushroom Product, NAPI, Oman Flour Mills and Oman Cement were up 9.82 per cent, 5.02 per cent, 1.67 per cent, 1.01 per cent and 0.42 per cent respectively. Asaffa Foods and Galfar Engineering were down 9.88 per cent and 2.50 per cent respectively.

Services Index was up by 0.27 per cent before closing at 1,677.50 points. Al Maha Marketing, Dhofar Generating, Phoenix Power and Oman National Engineering were up 5.20 per cent, 3.45 per cent, 2.13 per cent and 1.03 per cent respectively. National Gas, Oman Oil Marketing and Renaissance Services were down 3.57 per cent, 2.17 per cent and 2.14 per cent respectively.