Muscat bourse drops on listless trading

Shares on the Muscat Securities Market dropped on listless trading. The MSM30 Index ended lower at 5,751.38 points, down by 0.21 per cent. The MSM Sharia index lost 0.32 per cent to end at 853.38 points. Due to a special deal, National Bank of Oman was the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. The top gainer was Oman United Insurance, up by 1.10 per cent, while Construction Materials was the top loser, down by 5.26 per cent.

As many as 595 trades were executed on Monday, generating a turnover of OMR3.24 million with 16.1 million shares changing hands. Out of 45 traded securities, five advanced, 21 declined and 19 remained unchanged. Omani investors remained net buyers of OMR1.76 million while GCC and Arab investors were net sellers of OMR1.25 million followed by foreign investors for OMR516,000 worth of shares. 

Financial Index retreated 0.44 per cent to close at 7,924.13 points. Oman United Insurance, Ahli Bank and Bank Dhofar gained 1.10 per cent, 1.04 per cent and 0.39 per cent, respectively. Al Madina Investment, Oman & Emirates Holding, Al Batinah Investment, HSBC Bank and Al Izz Bank declined by 4.62 per cent, 4.08 per cent, 3.06 per cent, 2.40 per cent and 1.45 per cent, respectively.

Industrial Index ended at 7,540.66 points, down by 0.21 per cent. Construction Materials, Galfar Engineering and Al Jazeera Steel declined by 5.26 per cent, 1.16 per cent and 1.12 per cent, respectively.

Services Index declined by 0.16 per cent to close at 3,017.57 points. ACWA Power and Al Batinah Power gained by 0.56 per cent and 0.54 per cent, respectively. Oman National Engineering, Port Services, Phoenix Power, Ooredoo and Al Jazeera Services fell by 1.84 per cent, 0.79 per cent, 0.68 per cent, 0.64 per cent and 0.53 per cent, respectively.

Sensex, Nifty fall

India’s S&P BSE benchmark Sensex and CNX Nifty snapped 4-day winning spree by slipping 33 points and 9 points to close at 27,849.56 and 8,632.75 respectively in view of cautious approach of operators ahead of the Union Budget on February one and lower European cues.

Investors across the globe were spooked after US President Donald Trump introduced immigration curbs that sparked criticism at home and abroad, adding to fears that his 'America First' policy may prove destabilizing for the rest of the world.

The Sensex resumed lower at 27,866.80 and hovered in a range of 27,947.37 and 27,813.32 before ending at 27,849.56, showing a loss of 32.90 points or 0.12 per cent. The Sensex had gained by 847.96 points or 3.14 per cent in previous four days.

The CNX Nifty declined by 8.50 points 0.10 per cent to end at 8,632.75. The Nifty had gained by 292.90 points or 3.50 per cent in previous four days.

Overseas, European stock markets were trading lower as traders digest President Donald Trump's executive order to clamp down on people entering the US from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Key indices like France, Germany and UK moved down by 0.56 per cent to 0.88 per cent.

Stock markets in China, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan are shut for public holidays. Meanwhile, Japan's Nikkei 225 fell by 0.51 per cent.

Source :Times Of Oman