Gulf stocks mixed, TASI gains

24/01/2011 00:00 AST

Abu Dhabi’s Aldar Properties slumped to a five-year low on Sunday, extending declines since it unveiled a restructuring plan dilutive to minority shareholders.

Middle East markets were mixed as Egypt, Qatar and Dubai made further losses, while Oman and Saudi Arabia edged higher.

Aldar fell 1.5 percent to 1.93 dirhams. The indebted developer’s shares are down 15.4 percent since saying it would take $2.9 billion in impairments and issue a convertible bond to a government-owned investment vehicle, measures seen eroding shareholder value.

Rival Sorouh Real Estate dropped 0.7 percent.

House prices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are seen making further double-digit declines as over-supply weighs on valuations, a Reuters poll last week showed. Dubai prices are already about 60 percent below a 2008 peak.

Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) rose 1.2 percent, rebounding from Saturday’s three-week low, and other bluechips also shrugged off initial declines to end higher. On Wednesday, SABIC made its largest decline in five months after its fourth-quarter profit missed estimates.

The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) ended at to 6,692.31 points, after gaining 0.06 percent. The sector activity for the day was all positive except two losing sectors. The gaining sectors ranged from 0.05 percent by the agriculture and food industries sector to 1.96 percent by the industrial investment sector. On the other hand the losing sectors for the day were the Retail sector with -0.02 percent and the insurance sector with -0.10 percent. The overall market breadth for the day was positive with 88 advancers against 37 decliners giving it an AD ratio of 2.37, he Financial Transaction House (FTH) said in its daily market commentary.

The stock market reached SR3.14 billion on Sunday.

Cairo’s index fell slightly, its fifth drop in six sessions after local activists, inspired by Tunisia’s overthrow of its autocratic president, called a nationwide protest against torture, poverty, corruption and unemployment for Tuesday, a national holiday that honors Egyptian police.

“Many investment firms have many sell orders from investors over fears the Jan. 25 protest could lead to big political unrest,” said Hisham Metwalli of Arab Finance Brokerage.

Industries Qatar fell 4 percent, its biggest drop since May 25, 2010, trimming its gains to 33 percent in three months.

Commercial Bank of Qatar dropped 2.2 percent and Barwa Real Estate lost 1.9 percent.

Abu Dhabi’s benchmark slipped 0.04 while Dubai’s stocks dropped 0.3 percent to 1,604 points.

However, Kuwait’s, and Oman’s stocks rose 0.6 percent and 0.3 percent respectively.

But Qatar’s index fell 1.5 percent to 8,932 points.

Meanwhile, Bahrain’s stocks climbed 0.8 percent to 1,434 points.

Arab News