The MSM Index rose by 7.1% to 5,780.0 points by the end of February 2017, as against 5,395.1 points during the same period of 2016, says the latest statistical update from the (NCSI).
Manufacturing showed a healthy growth of 19.5% to touch 7,907 points, while financial activities grew by 22.6% to reach 8,165 points during the period. Services sector however fell by 1.6% to 3,008 points. The total number of shares traded over the period increased 8.4% to 832.48 million, while total value of traded shares went up 13.3% to OMR 193.37 million, the NCSI report says.
Giving details of the net stock investors, the report indicates that Omani investors bought net stock worth OMR 19.94 million, while net stock investment by Arab investors stood at OMR 493,000. Gulf investors sold net stocks worth more than OMR 10.70 million. Other foreign investors sold net stocks valued at over OMR 9.72 million.
By the end of February, Omani investors purchased stocks worth as much as 90% of the total stock purchase value, followed by foreign investors at 6%, Gulf investors at 3% and Arab investors at 1% of the total share purchase value. Financial activities accounted for 40% of the value of traded shares, while services made up 31%. Manufacturing activities accounted for 16% and bonds accounted for 13% of the total value of shares traded over the two-month period.
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