Riyadh – Mubasher: The Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) closed Sunday’s session in the green, backed by the petrochemical industries and banks sectors.
The main index rose 0.29% or 19.14 points to 6,680.79 points.
Trading value retreated to SAR 3.6 billion ($959 million) compared to SAR 4.75 billion ($1.27 billion) in the previous session, while the trading volume decreased to 188.76 million shares from 278 million on Thursday.
Liquidity fall on today’s session was due to the application of the new trading commission mechanism.
The agriculture sector topped gainers rising 2.2%, backed by Al Marai, which grew 1.98% to SAR 57.50.
Al Marai’s announced Sunday its net profits for the second quarter of 2016 rose18.55% year-over-year to SAR 628.8 million ($167.68 million) from SAR 530.4 million ($141.44 million), according to a bourse filing.
The petrochemical industries sector edged up 0.43%, where Saudi Arabian Fertilizer Co. (SAFCO) increased 2.06% to SAR 60.50, while Saudi Basic Industries Corporation’s (SABIC) shed 0.16% to SAR 83.
The banks sector achieved the least gains, marginally increasing 0.05%, on the back of Arab National Bank (ANB) retreat by 1.75% to SAR 40.60, while Al Rajhi Bank remained unchanged at SAR 59.25.
On the other hand, the cement sector topped losers decreasing 0.7%, affected by Yamama Saudi Cement Co. and Saudi Cement Company losing 0.4% and 0.79%, respectively.
The telecommunication sector was down by 0.09%, on the back of Etisalat stock, which shed 0.12% to SAR 64.75.
United Cooperative Assurance led the best performers by gaining 9.96% followed by United Wire Factories Co. (Aslak) by 9.9%.
On the other hand, Qassim Cement topped the worst performers losing 2.68% followed by Amana Cooperative Insurance by 2.04%.
Al Inma Bank was the most active stock in terms of trading value and volume, trading 49.5 million shares at a value of SAR 609.2 million. The bank closed at SAR 14, rising 2.71%.
