DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s bourse snapped a five-session winning streak yesterday as investors booked gains in petrochemical and insurance stocks, while most other regional markets rose.
The kingdom’s index slipped 0.2 percent, easing from Monday’s five-week high. Saudi Arabia’s index rallied in recent sessions as bargain hunters lifted the market from an 11-month low hit in late November.
Expectations for increased spending that could be announced in the Saudi budget for 2013 during coming weeks have helped to spur buying.
Petrochemical stocks declined with Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic) and Saudi Kayan Petrochemical slipping 0.3 and 0.4 percent respectively.
Dallah Healthcare Group, however, jumped 6.5 percent in its second session of trading, showing retail investors remain willing to trade fast-moving stocks aggressively. Dallah climbed 51.3 percent on its Monday debut.
“For the last two weeks or so we had momentum because of two things: a rebound from the recent drop, and expectations for the Saudi budget, which are very positive,” said Faisal Al Othman, portfolio manager at Riyadh-based Arab National Bank.
“For the short term, the market will stop (around current levels) for a correction.”
Elsewhere, Arab investors helped to lift Egypt’s index to a four-week high. It rose 0.6 percent, extending 2012 gains to 47 percent and reaching its highest level since the market plunged in late November because of the controversy over President Mohammed Mursi’s moves to award himself wider powers and push through a new constitution.
The market has now regained the vast majority of the losses caused by the political uproar, suggesting some investors do not think the long-term investment environment has been seriously damaged.
Palm Hills Development rallied 7.3 percent and was the most traded stock on the market. Large-caps were mixed, with Orascom Construction Industries slipping 0.8 percent and Telecom Egypt down 0.8 percent.
Arab investors were net buyers, while Egyptians and non-Arab foreigners were net sellers, according to bourse data.
“I wouldn’t expect Egypt’s market to be able to replicate this year’s performance in 2013 because it started from a very low base, but volatility will always attract traders and volumes may improve rather than the index,” said Mohammed Yasin, Managing Director of NBAD Securities in Abu Dhabi.
In the UAE, investors booked gains in Dubai’s blue chips, while Abu Dhabi’s market ended flat as activity began to wind down ahead of the year-end.
Shares in Emaar Properties declined 0.8 percent, trimming 2012 gains to 43.2 percent. The emirate’s index ended 0.1 percent lower, still up 17.4 percent so far this year but 10.6 percent below its March peak.
Reuters
