CAIRO: The Egyptian stock market closed today with a collective decline, pushed by sales by Arab and Egyptian investors and institutions. Foreign transactions leaned toward purchasing as many of the leading shares declined today. The main Egyptian stock market index EGX 30 closed transactions with a 0.69 percent decline, reaching 4433 points. Medium and Small Companies index EGX 70 was down 1.1 percent and EGX 100 was down 0.95 percent. The value of transactions reached 251.6 million EGP (U.S. $42.16 million). Today was Mohamed Abdel Salam's last day as chairman of the Egyptian stock market. Prime Minister Essam Sharaf earlier released a decision to appoint Mohamed Omran as the new chairman of the stock market. Egyptian investors had 79.21 percent of total transactions and reached total sales valued at 7.6 million EGP (U.S. $ 1.273 million). Foreign investors had 13.48 percent and reached total sales valued 11.6 million EGP (U.S. $1.944 million). Arab investors had about 7.31 percent and reached total sales valued 4.04 million EGP (U.S. $0.677 million). Some of the main shares witnessed a dramatic decline, including Orascom Telecom down 2.7 percent; Public Giza down 1.9 percent; Amer Group down 0.83 percent; Pioneers Company down 2.7 percent; Ezz Steel down 1.4 percent; Sodek down 3.8 percent; Mobinil Company down 3.3 percent; Commercial International Bank down 1.6 percent; El Qalaa down 0.26 percent and Agwaa Company down 1.8 percent.
