Muscat, The total value of Muscat Securities Market (MSM) traded at the

end of last July was RO551.869 million, an increase of 4.4 percent, compared to

RO528.789 million at the end of July 2017. The overall index fell by 13.7 percent,

according to statistics issued by the National Center for Statistics and Information.

The general index of the market reached 4,336.6 points at the end of July compared to

5,024,2 points at the end of July 2017. The industrial sector led the declines, declining by

17.5 percent to reach 5.606 points by the end of July, compared to 6.793 points by the end

of July 2017. The financial sector recorded a decline of 10.5 percent to reach 6.738 points

last July, compared to 7.530 points by the end of July. The services sector recorded a

decline of 5 percent to record 2.378 points by the end of July 2018, compared to 2.502

points by the end of July 2017.

The total number of shares traded at the end of last July rose by 19.5 percent, recording

2,879.613 million shares, compared to 2,408.776 million shares by the end of July 2017.

By the end of July 2018, Omani investors had acquired 88 per cent of the purchase price,

against 2 per cent for foreign investors, 6 percent for Gulf investors and 4 percent for Arab

investors.

Omani investors bought more than they sold, netting RO145.547 million. Gulf investors

sold more than they bought, netting a negative figure of RO30.673 million. Foreign

investors also recorded a negative figure of RO75.709 million. Arab investors also

recorded a negative net profit of RO39.165 million.

The financial sector accounted for 54 percent of the traded shares and the services

sector for 28 percent, while the industrial sector accounted for 18 percent.

Source: Oman News Agency