CAIRO: The Egyptian stock exchange lost 6.6 billion EGP (U.S. $1.1 billion) of market capital at the end of trading on Monday. Losses were driven by sales by Egyptian investors, despite buying by both Arab and foreign investors. The loss came after big gains in the stock indexes during trading yesterday, after positive statements from the President of the Stock Exchange and the Minister of Finance. The main stock index EGX 30 went down by 2.7%, to close at 4077 points EGX 20 dropped by 2.1%, and the index EG X 70 by 3.1%, and EG X-100 by 3.06%. The volume of trading reached 218.6 million EGP (U.S. $37 million). Foreign investors accounted for 25.07 percent of the total transactions and made net purchases worth 5.1%, while Egyptians acquired 67.35%, and achieved a sales of 6.4 million. Arab investors accounted for 7.58% and made net purchases of 1.2 million. Prices dropped in many stocks in the benchmark index, including Citadel shares which fell by 5.2%, and Hermes by 1.2%, and Sodic by 4.1%, and the Commercial International Bank by 1.9%, Sweidi 5.3%, and Orascom Telecom by 2.6%, and Ezz Steel by 1.6 %, and OCI by 5.5%, and Palm Hills by 3.08 %.
