MSX index ends lower

Muscat: The MSX index closed at 4,116.95 points, down by 0.04 per cent from the previous close. The Sharia Index ended up by 0.05 per cent at 451.5 points.

Vision Insurance, up 4.76 per cent, was the top gainer while, Oman Chromite, down 9.89 per cent, was the top loser. Shares of Bank Muscat were the most active in terms of the number of shares traded as well as in terms of turnover.

A total number of 478 trades were executed during the day's trading session, generating a turnover of OMR2.28 million, with more than 9.24 million shares changing hands. Out of 50 traded securities, 16 advanced, 19 declined, and 15 remained unchanged. At the session close, GCC & Arab investors were net buyers for OMR610,000 while domestic investors were net sellers for OMR453,000, followed by foreign investors for OMR156,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 6,605.91 points, down 0.55 per cent. Prices of Vision Insurance, Global Financial Investments, Ahli Bank and Muscat Finance were up by 4.76 per cent, 3.18 per cent, 1.7 per cent and 1.54 per cent respectively. Prices of HSBC Bank Oman, Takaful Oman, Al Anwar Investment, DIDIC and Oman & Emirates Investment were down by 4.48 per cent, 4.26 per cent, 3.85 per cent, 3.7 per cent and 1.19 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index closed at 5,773.62 points, up 0.11 per cent. Prices of National Aluminium, Oman Cement, Al Maha Ceramics and Al Anwar Ceramics were up by 3.75 per cent, 3.25 per cent, 0.79 per cent, 0.48 per cent respectively. Prices of Oman Chromite, Oman Fisheries, Construction Materials, Galfar Engineering and Dhofar Cattle Feed were down by 9.89 per cent, 3.85 per cent, 2.6 per cent, 1.91 per cent and 1.25 per cent respectively.

Services Index was up by 0.69 per cent before closing at 1,564.32 points. Prices of Musandam Power, Ooredoo, Oman Oil Marketing, Shell Oman Marketing and Al Jazeera Services were up by 3.9 per cent, 3.13 per cent, 2.5 per cent, 2.5 per cent, and 1.5 per cent respectively. Prices of OIFC and Oman Telecom were down by 1.67 per cent and 0.46 per cent respectively.