Muscat bourse falls on listless trading

Muscat:: Trading activity remained muted and Muscat bourse declined by 0.36 per cent to close at 5,360.74 points. The MSM Sharia Index ended at 825.04 points, down 0.32 per cent.
Galfar Engineering was the most active in terms of volume while Renaissance Services led in terms of turnover. Galfar Engineering was the top gainer, up 3.57 per cent, while Al Izz Bank was the top loser, down by 3.23 per cent.
As many as 677 trades were executed on Wednesday, generating turnover of OMR2.1 million with 15.3 million shares changing hands. Out of 45 traded securities, six advanced, 18 declined and 21 remained unchanged. Omani investors were net buyers for OMR168,000 followed by GCC and Arab investors for OMR100,000 while foreign investors remained net sellers for OMR268,000 worth of shares.
Financial Index retreated 0.49 per cent to close at 6,670.31 points. HSBC Bank, up 2.04 per cent, was the sole gainer. Al Izz Bank, BankDhofar, Al Madina Takaful, Bank Nizwa and Bank Sohar declined by 3.23 per cent, 2.14 per cent, 1.41 per cent, 1.39 per cent and 1.25 per cent, respectively.
Industrial Index closed at 6,522.48 points with a marginal loss of 0.05 per cent. Galfar Engineering and Oman Flour Mills advanced by 3.57 per cent and 1.42 per cent, respectively. Oman Textiles, Oman Fisheries, Al Maha Ceramics, Raysut Cement and Gulf International Chemicals declined by 3.14 per cent, 1.72 per cent, 1.46 per cent, 0.81 per cent and 0.35 per cent, respectively.