Cairo-Mubasher: The Egyptian Exchange's (EGX) indices closed lower on Thursday, with the market capitalisation losing nearly EGP 1.2 billion ($156.2 million).

The benchmark EGX30 declined 0.68% or 56.81 points to close at 8,314 points.

The stock market was hurt by a wave of terrorist attacks on five checkpoints in Sinai on Wednesday.

Near-simultaneous raids were launched on at least five military checkpoints and a police station in and around Sheikh Zuweid on Wednesday morning. The attack was one of the largest co-ordinated assaults yet by ISIS in Sinai.

Ahmed Abdel Hamid, managing director at Watheeqa Securities, said the indices moved sideways with a downward bias on Thursday on Sinai deadly attacks. 

He added that the listing of Emaar Misr on Sunday will boost trading on the market.

The small and mid-cap index EGX70 fell 0.55% to 442.26 points, while the broader EGX100 edged down 0.56% to 936.54 points.

Turnover reached EGP 1.06 billion, and trading volume amounted to around 174.5 million shares. The market capitalisation totalled EGP 1.7 billion.

Nationals were net sellers of shares worth EGP  75.5 million, while foreigners and Arabs recorded buy/sell differences of EGP 68.5 million and EGP 7 million, respectively.

Out of the 159 traded stocks, losers eclipsed gainers 88 to 34, while 37 stocks closed on a flat note.