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Kuwait bourse gains 14.07 pts; volume up [Arab Times (Kuwait)]
[September 18, 2014]

Kuwait bourse gains 14.07 pts; volume up [Arab Times (Kuwait)]


(Arab Times (Kuwait) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) KUWAIT CITY, Sep 17: Kuwait stocks pulled higher Wednesday, extending the gains to 7th consecutive session. The price index rose 14.07 pts in volatile trade to 7,586.75 pts lead by Kuwait Finance House. Some of the mid and small caps too saw a spurt in buying in interest even as blue chips closed mixed.



The KSX15 measure jumped 5.63 pts to 1,211.15 points taking the year's gains to 159 points while weighted index edged 1.39 points higher. The volume turnover meanwhile swelled past the 400 million mark to hit a fresh high of the month. 436.89 million shares changed hands - a 16.15 pct increase from Tuesday.

The sectors closed mixed. Financial services outled the rest with 1.48 percent gain whereas telecommunications shed 1.55 pct, the worst performer of the day. Volume wise, financial services continued to clock the highest market share of 63.20 percent while real estate and industrials followed with 14.71 pct and 8.57 percent respectively.


Among the notable gainers, Kuwait Finance House soared 30 fils on back of 10.8 million shares. Gulf Cable rallied 20 fils to KD 0.830 and Gulf Glass Manufacturing Co was up by same measure. Kuwait Packing Materials Co climbed 30 fils.

Kuwait Cement Co was up 5 fils at KD 0.440 whereas Boubyan Petrochemical Co closed flat. The company has clocked a net profit of KD 1.14 million and earnings per share of 2.29 fils in the first six months. ACICO Industries added 5 fils after stagnating in the previous session.

Slipped Bourse heavyweight Zain slipped 10 fils to KD 0.660 erasing the gains in the previous session while Wataniya Telecom dropped 20 fils to end at KD 1.520. Agility held the ground unchanged at KD 0.900 off early lows and is trading 30 fils higher so far during the month.

The market opened firm but slipped briefly in early trading. The index pulled higher again before retreating to hit the day's lowest level of 7559.48 pts almost an hour and half into the session. It bounced back in the second half amid buying in select counters and closed with modest gains.

Top gainer of the day, Kuwait Syrian Holding Co rallied 9.43 percent to 29 fils while Gulf North Africa Holding Co soared 7.27 pct to stand next. Al Mudon International Real Estate Co dipped 6.73 percent, the steepest decliner of the day and Al Dar National Real Estate Co topped the volume with 49.28 million shares.

Mirroring the day's uptick, the winners outnumbered the losers. 55 stocks advanced whereas 49 closed lower. Of the 150 counters active on Wednesday, 46 closed flat. 8,470 deals worth KD 47.98 million were transacted - a 26.58 percent increase in value from the day before.

Automated Systems Co was flat at KD 0.415 and Kuwait & Gulf Link Transport Co followed suit. The company has clocked a net loss of KD 1.160 million and loss per share of 4.39 fils in the first six-months of the year as against net loss of KD 866,919 and loss per share of 3.28 fils in the first half of 2013.

Equipment Holding Co vacillated in tight range before closing unchanged at KD 0.146 and NICBM too did not budge from its earlier close of KD 0.220. Metal and Recycling Co held the ground steady at KD 0.114.

On the downside, National Industries Group fell 2 fils to KD 0.232 after trading 1.81 million shares and IFA Hotels and Resorts Co was down by same measure. The company has posted net loss of KD 6.901 and loss per share of 11.31 fils in the six months period ending June 31, 2014.

Jazeera Airways dropped 10 fils to KD 0.440 and Kuwait Foundry Co shed 20 fils. ALAFCO eased 5 fils while Shuaiba Industrial Co clipped 4 fils. Independent Petroleum Group was down 5 fils at KD 0.450.

In the banking sector, National Bank of Kuwait was flat at KD 0.990 with a volume of 1.84 million whereas Gulf Bank added 5 fils extending the gains in the previous session. Commercial Bank stagnated at KD 0.690 and Ahli United Bank followed suit.

Rose Al Ahli Bank rose 5 fils to KD 0.420 and Kuwait International Bank was up by same measure to close at KD 0.325. Burgan Bank and Boubyan Bank were flat at KD 0.530 and KD 0.510 respectively.

Commercial Facilities Co slipped 10 fils to KD 0.285 whereas International Financial Advisors was steady at 60 fils with a volume of 16.9 million shares. National Investment Co rose 4 fils whereas KIPCO paused at KD 0.730.

Securities House took in 2 fils whereas Securities Group Co edged 2 fils lower. The company has recorded a net profit of KD 1.341 million and earnings per share of 5.26 fils in the January- June period of 2014, up from KD 155,245 net profit and earnings per share of 0.61 fils in the H1 of last year.

Gulf Investment House gained 5 fils on back of 7.5 million shares whereas Bayan Investment Co stagnated at 88 fils. Osoul Investment Co took in 2 fils whereas KAMCO pulled 4 fils lower to KD 0.118.

Noor Financial Investment gained 6 fils on back of over 3 million shares whereas Sokouk Holding fell 2 fils to 92 fils. Salhia Real Estate Co dipped 25 fils and Mabanee Co was unchanged at KD 1.080.

The bourse was been upbeat so far during the week and has climbed 99 points in last four sessions. It has rallied 156 points from start of the month and is trading 0.49 pct higher year-to-date. KSE, with 213 listed companies, is the second largest bourse in the region.

In the bourse related news, International Financial Advisors has incurred a net loss of KD 5,574 million and loss per share of 8.29 fils in the first half of 2014 as compared to net profit of KD 2.067 million and earnings per share of 3.08 fils in the January-June period of last year.

Al Mal Investment has recorded a first half net loss of KD 7.03 million and loss per share of 13.31 fills in the six-month period ending June 31, 2014 as against KD 39,357 net profit and earnings per share of 0.07 fils in the first half of 2013.

Al Madina for Finance and Investment Company has posted a first half net loss of KD 9.933 million and loss per share of 2.25 fils widening from KD 1.727 loss and loss per share of 4.46 fils in the 2013 H1.

United Foodstuff Industries Group has logged a net profit of KD 832,780 and earnings per share of 25.17 fils in the first half of 2014, up sharply from KD 256,570 net profit and earnings per share of 7.75 fils in the first half of 2014.

First Takaful Insurance has incurred a net loss of KD 5.83 million and loss per share of 58.35 fils in the January-June period as against net profit of KD 104,068 and earnings per share of 1.04 fils in the same period last year.  By John Mathews Arab Times Staff (c) 2014 Arab Times Kuwait English Daily. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

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