MSX index ends lower marginally

Muscat: The MSX index closed at 4,121.56 points, up by 0.04 per cent from previous close. The Sharia Index ended down by 0.29 per cent at 462.17 points. Takaful Oman, up 10 per cent, was the top gainer while, Al Maha Markting, down 8.24 per cent, was the top loser. Shares of Shell Oman Marketing were the most active in terms of number of shares traded as well as in terms of turnover. A total number of 449 trades were executed during the day’s trading session, generating turnover of OMR3.55 million, with more than 10.45 million shares changing hands.

Out of 36 traded securities, 13 advanced, 11 declined, and 12 remained unchanged. At the session close, domestic investors were net buyers for OMR465,241 while GCC & Arab investors were net sellers for OMR340,000, followed by foreign investors for OMR126,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 6,554.7 points, up 0.45 per cent. Prices of Takaful Oman, Al Omaniya Financial Services, Oman & Emirates Investment and National Bank Oman were up by 10 per cent, 9.93 per cent, 1.19 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively. Prices of Muscat Finance and Taageer Finance were down by 2.78 per cent and 1.09 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index closed at 6,045.22 points, down 0.02 per cent. Prices of A’Saffa Foods, Construction Materials, Oman Fisheries, Gulf Mushroom Products and National Aluminium were up by 8.7 per cent, 4.94 per cent, 4.35 per cent, 1.38 per cent and 1.16 per cent respectively. Prices of Galfar Engineering and Raysut Cement were down by 1.84 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively. Services Index was down by 1.28 per cent before closing at 1,580.65 points. Prices of OIFC, Al Batinah Power, Dhofar Generating and Sembcorp Salalah were up by 2.1 per cent, 2.08 per cent, 1.59 per cent and 1.43 per cent respectively.