Muscat: The MSX main index slipped by 43 points, closing at 5,081, after climbing above 5,100 points earlier this month. The financial sector index bucked the trend, gaining over 80 points on the back of strong performances from Ominvest, International Financial Investments, and Al Anwar Investments. In contrast, the industrial sector led the declines, falling 92 points below 7,000, while the services and Shariah indices slipped by 22 and 3 points respectively.

Trading activity cooled sharply, with the value of transactions dropping 40.7% to RO 81.9 million compared to RO 138.3 million the previous week. Executed trades fell to 16,000 from more than 21,000 a week earlier. The overall market value lost RO 121.7 million, ending the week at RO 29.942 billion.

A total of 37 securities saw price declines, 21 gained, and 25 remained unchanged. Ominvest led the gainers, up 11.2% to 258 baisas, while International Financial Investments rose 7.7%. On the losing side, Majan College dropped 9.8%, Muscat Gases slid 9.2%, and Majan Glass fell 8.3%.

Institutional investors pulled back significantly, with local investment purchases falling to RO 52.3 million from RO 91 million the week before. Omani individual investors, however, increased their buying, capturing 25.7% of total trading value.

Among the most traded stocks, Bank Muscat led with RO 15.4 million in trades, followed by OQ Exploration and Production (RO 14.6m) and OQ Basic Industries (RO 12.8m). Bank Sohar International and National Bank of Oman rounded out the top five.

OQ Basic Industries announced a proposed cash dividend of 5 baisas per share, to be decided at its October 19 general assembly. ASYAD Shipping also approved a dividend of 5.560 baisas per share for the first half of the year at its recent shareholder meeting.