Amlak Finance once again proved the exception to the rule on an otherwise lacklustre day on the markets.
The Islamic lender’s shares rose 14.8 per cent yesterday, ending at a new high of Dh2.25 each. About 184.2 million Amlak shares changed hands during the day, more than the combined total of Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s headline indexes, as trading slowed as expected for Ramadan.
Dubai shares closed up 0.7 per cent at 4,096.18, buoyed by Emirates NBD and Arabtec Holding.
Just 207.8 million shares in the headline index changed hands yesterday, the quietest day of trading since the start of the month.
Emirates NBD had its best day for more than two months, gaining 3.8 per cent at Dh9.55.
Arabtec surged in the final hour of trading, closing up 3.8 per cent at Dh2.69.
Air Arabia and Dubai Parks and Resorts acted as a drag on gains, shedding 1.2 per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively.
The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange General Index rose 0.4 per cent on the capital's quietest day of trading of the year so far.
The index rise was attributed mainly to Etisalat, the index's heaviest-weighted stock, which closed up 1.7 per cent at Dh11.80.
jeverington@thenational.ae
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