KUWAIT CITY, April 17: Kuwait stocks bounded 0.3% or 15.96 points higher to 5,316.47 points, starting the week off in the green but down 5.32% on a year to date basis. The weighted index shifted 1.15 points higher to 366.22 points.

The KSE benchmark rose by 3.24 points over last week’s close to finish at 866.38 points. A total of 168.18 million shares were traded for a total value of KD 12.36 million in 3,625 transactions. Of the 126 counters that remained active, 40 logged gains, 35 bore losses and 51 recorded no change to their share price.

Kuwait Insurance Company led the pack of gainers in the session with a 8.77% addition to its share price, closing at 310 fils while Coast Investment & Development Co kept up with a 7.22% increment to 52 fils and Human Soft Holding Co marked a 7.14% increase to 600 fils, with low volumes traded. Specialities Group Holding Co took a 6.94% rise to the green to close at 77 fils while Salbookh Trading Co made a 6.85% leap forward to 78 fils.

On the other hand, Real Estate Trade Centers Co plummeted 9.62% down to a 23.5 fils close and Al Dar National Real Estate Co dropped 8.82% lower to 15.5 fils. Ikarus Petroleum Industries Co suffered a 7.94% tumble down to 58 fils and Shuaiba Industrial Co slid 7.46% below to 310 fils. Concurrently, Mashaer Holding Co slipped to 80 fils with a 5.88% contraction.

Al Dar National Real Estate Co traded the top volume of the day, moving 32.13 million shares while Coast Investment & Development Co traded a hearty 13.68 million shares, Al-Mal Investment Company moved 9.54 million of its stock and Gulf Investment House 7.33 million while National Investments Company traded 6.42 million stocks at a flat 122 fils.

Telecommunications stood at 615.7 points, down by 0.19% with a 36.12% fall in volume and 40.70% drop in total value from last week’s close. Mobile Telecommunications Company – Zain held ground at 350 fils while Ooredoo was not active in the session. Hits Telecom Holding Company slipped 0.5 points lower to 31.5 fils, trading 1.2 million shares on the floor. Meanwhile, Viva remained sturdy at KD 1.02.

The banking sector stood at 834.4 points, down by 0.10% with a 25.26% drop in volume traded and 18.84% drop in value from the previous session. National Bank of Kuwait started the week in the green, climbing 10 points higher to 680 fils. Kuwait Finance House closed at a flat 490 fils and traded 5 million shares while Warba Bank shacked 2 points to close at 174 fils. Kuwait International Bank and Boubyan Bank held firm at 198 fils and 410 fils while Gulf Bank and Burgan Bank stood stale at 242 fils and 345 fils. Meanwhile Ithmaar Bank stagnated at 41.5 fils and Commercial Bank of Kuwait took a 10-point hard fall to a 400 fils close.

Financial Services rose to 592.6 points, 0.36% higher and making up 45.84% of the total volume and 32.25 % of the total value. National Investments Company, at a flat 122 fils, traded 6.42 million shares on the floor while Coast Investment & Development Co posted a 3.5-point rise to 52 fils, trading 13.68 million shares of its stock. National Industries Group (Holding) made a 4-point increment to 140 fils and Al-Mal Investment Company climbed 1 point higher to 35.5 fils.

Gulf Investment House and Housing Finance Co both trudged 1 point higher to 27.5 fils and 31 fils respectively while The Securities House hiked 1.5 points up to 46.5 fils and Gulf North Africa Holding Co dipped 0.5 points lower to 38.5 fils. Al-Madina For Finance And Investment Co closed flat at 37 fils trading over 3 million shares while Al-Salam Group Holding Co slipped 0.5 points down to 35.5 fils. While Boubyan International Industries Holding Co closed at 31 fils, Egypt Kuwait Holding Co shifted 2 points lower to 132 fils and Privatization Holding Company scaled 2 points upward to 52 fils, Bayan Investment Co, at the same time, stood 1 point lower to a 35.5 fils close.

Real Estate stood at 841.8 points, with a 0.11% slide to the red, making up a third of the total volume and 13.34% of the total value traded in the session. Al Dar National Real Estate Co ebbed 1.5 points lower to 15.5 fils with a 32 million share trade in the session while Al-Mazaya Holding Co closed flat at 118 fils trading 1.57 million shares. Kuwait Real Estate Co slumped 0.5 point down to 49 fils while Investors Holding Group Company clambered upwards to 23 fils with a 0.5 point augment. First Dubai For Real Estate Development Co also gained 3 points in the session to close at a 56 fils share price while National Real Estate Company trekked 1 point higher to 162 fils.

The Oil and Gas sector stood at 760.4 points, 0.25% lower than last week’s close with a 41% drop in volume and 45% drop in value traded on the floor. Gulf Petroleum Investment recorded no change to its share price of 41.5 fils while Ikarus Petroleum Industries Co stood at 58 fils after a 5-point hurtle. The Energy House Holding Company rose by 1.5 points to 42 fils. Contracting & Marine Services Co, at the same time, closed at a flat 102 fils.

In the industrial sector, Agility Public Warehousing Company mounted 10 points higher to finish at 495 fils while Equipment Holding Company posted a 1 point rise to 58 fils and Aviation Lease And Finance Co closed flat at 24 fils. Basic Materials stood at 978.3, up 1.04%. Boubyan Petrochemical Company closed flat at 520 fils while Al Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company scaled 4 points higher to 208 fils and Kuwait Foundry Co closed at 190 fils, with a 2-point increase.

The technology sector saw a 1.32% rise to 954.3 points. Hayat Communications Co and Osos Holding Group Company moved 2 points higher to 52 fils and 106 fils respectively.

In consumer goods, Kuwait Food Company (Americana) made a 20-point leap to KD 2.62 and Mezzan Holding Co closed flat at KD 1.14 while Danah Al Safat Foodstuff Company moved 1 point higher to 73 fils.

As for consumer services, Zima Holding Co skid 1.5 points lower to 43.5 fils, Soor Fuel Marketing Company closed flat at 112 fils and Sultan Center Food Products Co dipped 2 points lower to 62 fils.