RIYADH: The Saudi stock exchange’s main index, TASI, ended the trading day marginally higher, following a sluggish session on Monday, despite another spike in COVID-19 cases.
TASI recorded 0.26 percent in gains, up to 11,357 points. The parallel market Nomu gave up 1 percent to close at 25,778 points.
Gains were buoyed by an increase in the share prices of SABIC, Alinma Bank, and Saudi National Bank, which went up to SR117 ($31.2), SR24.9, and SR66.6 respectively.
Saudi Research and Media Group, or SRMG, carried on its rally, up 6 percent to an all-time high of SR200.
The highest gainer of the session was Wafrah for Industry, which added nearly 10 percent, reaching SR150.
Al Yamamah Steel Industries Co.’s stock rose 2 percent to SR42.9, upon its signing of two contracts worth SR292 million ($77.8 million) to supply steel towers for electricity transmission lines.
Shares in Sadr Logistics rose after four days of losses to reach SR83.8 amid trading of over SR468 million worth of shares.
Bank Albilad recorded the highest decline, falling by more than 4 percent to reach SR47.9.
Next were Allied Cooperative Insurance Group, Banque Saudi Fransi, and SABIC Agri-Nutrients, all down in the range of 1 to 2 percent.
The energy market saw a fractional increase in oil prices. Brent crude oil added 0.2 cents to reach $79.18 a barrel while US WTI crude went up by 0.17 cents to $76.25 per barrel as of 3:34 p.m. Saudi time.
In the past 24 hours, the Saudi Health Ministry confirmed 2,585 new coronavirus cases in the Kingdom.
