Oman share index firms up on retail support

Muscat: In a retail driven market, the MSM30 Index remained little moved at 5,972.51 points, up by 0.02 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index gained 0.13 per cent to close at 889.09 points. Al Jazeera Steel was the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. Oman Hotels & Tourism remained the day’s top gainer, up by 9.63 per cent, while Construction Materials was the top loser, down by 2.94 per cent.
As many as 1,293 trades were executed on Monday, generating turnover of OMR4.6 million with 21.1 million shares changing hands. Out of 51 traded securities, 23 advanced, eight declined and 20 remained unchanged. Foreign investors were net buyers for OMR46,000 followed by Omani investors for OMR19,000 while GCC and Arab investors were net sellers for OMR65,000 worth of shares.
Financial Index gained 0.29 per cent to close at 7,703.56 points. Oman & Emirates Holding, Oman United Insurance, Al Madina Investment, Al Madina Takaful and Dhofar Insurance gained by 2.65 per cent, 1.92 per cent, 1.49 per cent, 1.32 per cent and 0.98 per cent, respectively. Al Izz Bank, Takaful Oman and National Bank of Oman declined by 1.69 per cent, 0.79 per cent and 0.38 per cent, respectively.
Industrial Index advanced by 0.80 per cent to close at 7,329.43 points. Al Jazeera Steel, Al Maha Ceramics, Oman Textiles, Oman Cables and Al Hassan Engineering increased by 5.24 per cent, 4.93 per cent, 3.13 per cent, 1.65 per cent and 1.05 per cent, respectively. Construction Materials and Gulf International Chemicals declined by 2.94 per cent and 0.40 per cent, respectively.
Services Index closed at 3,347.82 points, marginally down by 0.04 per cent. Oman Hotels & Tourism, Al Jazeera Services, Port Services, National Gas and Phoenix Power advanced by 9.63 per cent, 4.89 per cent, 1.18 per cent, 0.76 per cent and 0.65 per cent, respectively. OIFC, Oman Telecommunications Company and Renaissance Services declined by 0.94 per cent, 0.91 per cent and 0.61 per cent, respectively.