RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s stock exchange witnessed a mixed performance on Monday, Jan. 3, as its main index TASI stagnated amid worries over the spread of omicron. At the closing bell, TASI remained flat at 11,328 points and the parallel market Nomu lost almost 1 percent, reaching 26,030 points. The Kingdom recorded a 70-percent hike in daily coronavirus cases on Monday, a report by the Saudi Health Ministry revealed. According to the ministry, 1,746 cases were newly confirmed along with 2 coronavirus-related deaths. As the Saudi bourse ended flat, major stock indexes in the Middle East closed lower in the prior session amid a rise in COVID-19 cases. Abu Dhabi’s ADI and the UAE’s main index, DFMGI, declined by 0.3 and 0.2 percent, respectively. The Egyptian index EGX30 edged down 0.1 percent. However, the Qatari index, QSI, went against the tide as it gained 0.4 percent. In energy trading, Brent crude oil added 0.27 cents to reach $79.25 a barrel while US WTI crude went up by 0.21 cents to $76.29 per barrel as of 8:23 a.m. Saudi time. Stock news Al Yamamah Steel Industries Co. has signed two contracts worth SR292 million ($77.8 million) to supply steel towers for electricity transmission lines East Pipes Integrated Co. for Industry announced its intention to IPO 6.3 million shares on the main market TASI, representing 30 percent of the company’s capital Alwasail Industrial Co.’s final offer price was set at SR19 per share, after its IPO was 16.2 times covered, according to a bourse filing by FALCOM Financial Services Jarir Marketing Co. has shut down its showroom in the UAE. The loss from the transaction is estimated at SR1.7 million, which is to roll out in its financial statements of the fourth quarter of 2021 Albilad Saudi Sovereign Sukuk ETF is to distribute SR98,826 cash dividends for December 2021 Al-Moammar Information Systems, MIS, has launched a venture studio through its fully owned subsidiary MIS Forward The board of the National Co. for Glass Industries, known as Zoujaj, recommended SR16.5 million cash dividends – SR0.5 per share – for the fiscal year 2021 Al Rajhi Bank announced on Jan. 3 the start of its Tier 1 Sukuk offer – an Islamic bond dominated in Saudi riyals – through a private placement in the Kingdom. The offering will run through Jan. 26