Egypt's bourse ended week higher with gains totaled 3.8 Egyptian pounds triggered by local and foreign buying appetite as the central bank reported on Thursday a surge in the country's forex reserves during January. In return, Egypt's main bourse index close the week 1.1% higher. Egypt's foreign exchange reserves surged by $ 73 million to $ 17.104 billion in January from $ 17.031 billion in December, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) announced on Thursday. The Egyptian Exchange (EGX) indices were wavering in green notes Thursday afternoon. Indices Egypt's benchmark index EGX30 ended 1.13 per cent higher to 7426.17 pts; while EGX20 finished 1.19 per cent up to 8876.35 pts. on the contrary, the mid- and small-cap index, the EGX70 surged by 1.38% to close at 611.15 pts. The price index EGX100 pushed up by 1.64 per cent to conclude at 1036.44 pts. Furthermore, the market capitalization recorded EGP 458.380 billion on Thursday. Turnovers Neared One Billion Pounds Through the closing session of Thursday, the trading volume has reached 275.507 million securities, with turnovers worth EGP 939.645 million, exchanged through 39.894 thousand transactions. Also during the closing session, 188 listed securities have been traded in; 44 declined, 128 advanced; while 16 keeping their previous levels. Investors' Activities Egyptians and the non-Arab foreigners were net buyers seizing 77.34% and 14.53% respectively of the total markets, with a net equity of EGP 3.589 million and 9.278 million respectively, excluding the deals. Meanwhile, Arabs were net sellers capturing 8.13% of the total market, with a net equity of EGP 12.868 million, excluding the deals. Companies' Activities At the EGX30, Cairo-based investment bank EFG-Hermes Holding (HRHO.CA) saw its share price rise by 0.80 percent to EGP 11.30. Market bellwether Commercial International Bank S.A.E. (COMI.CA) tumbled 0.03 percent to EGP 33.00. In the real estate sector, Palm Hills Development Company (PHDC.CA) jumped by 2.95 percent to trade at EGP 3.14, Talaat Moustafa Group Holding (TMGH.CA) increased by 0.56 percent to trade at EGP 7.15, and Sixth of October Development and Investment Co S.A.E – SODIC (OCDI.CA) rose 1.22 percent to close at EGP 23.26.
