MUSCAT: Foreign selling in bank stocks and local selling in cement sector drove down the MSM30 Index by 0.63 per cent to 5,735.00 points, its lowest level in four months. The MSM Sharia Index closed at 886.47 points, down by 0.41 per cent. Bank Nizwa was the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. Wednesday’s top gainer was Oman & Emirates Holding, up by 3.01 per cent while Oman National Engineering, down by 9.88 per cent, was top loser.
As many as 828 trades were executed on Wednesday, generating turnover of OMR4.5 million with 30.3 million shares changing hands. Out of 46 traded securities, ten advanced, 14 declined and 22 remained unchanged. Foreign investors were net sellers for OMR994,000 while GCC and Arab investors were net buyers for OMR641,000 followed by Omani investors for OMR353,000 worth of shares.
Financial Index declined by 0.56 per cent to close at 7,322.39 points. Oman & Emirates, Al Izz Bank, Al Anwar Holding, Al Sharqia Investments and Bank Sohar gained 3.01 per cent, 1.56 per cent, 1.08 per cent, 0.78 per cent and 0.60 per cent, respectively. Al Batinah Development, Ahli Bank, National Bank of Oman and Ominvest declined by 2.17 per cent, 2.11 per cent, 2 per cent, 1.79 per cent and 0.94 per cent, respectively.
Industrial Index closed at 7,491.53 points, down by 0.27 per cent. Oman Fisheries, Al Hassan Engineering, Al Jazeera Steel and Galfar Engineering increased by 1.67 per cent, 1.37 per cent, 1.28 per cent and 0.97 per cent, respectively. Raysut Cement, Al Anwar Ceramics and Oman Cement declined by 2.30 per cent, 1.39 per cent and 1.25 per cent, respectively. Services Index retreated by 0.07 per cent to close at 3,135.75 points. Ooredoo Oman, up by 0.56 per cent, was the only sector gainer. Oman National Engineering, OIFC, Port Services and Oman Telecommunications Company lost 9.88 per cent, 1.52 per cent, 0.45 per cent, and 0.31 per cent, respectively.
