KUWAIT CITY, Dec 28: Kuwait stocks edged higher on Wednesday amid a spurt in speculative trading ahead of the year end. The bourse rose 8.32 pts in a volatile session to 5,753.36 points even as the board remained mixed in absence of strong catalysts.The KSX 15 gauge dipped 7.34 pts to 886.27 points paring the year’s gains to a meager 2 points while weighted index eased 1.43 pts. The volume turnover meanwhile rose further to hit a two-week high. 240 million shares changed hands — a 16 pct increase from the day before.The sectors closed mixed. Technology outperformed the rest with 1.67 percent gain whereas healthcare shed 0.87 pct, the biggest loser of the day. In terms of volume, financial services mustered the highest market share of 35 percent while real estate stood next with 31.7 pct contribution.In the individual shares, National Bank of Kuwait dropped 10 fils to 650 fils erasing Tuesday’s gains and Kuwait Finance House followed suit to settle at 540 fils. Humansoft Holding Co extended its winning spree with a 100 fils jump to KD 2.600.Zain was unchanged at 410 fils whereas Wataniya Telecom (Ooredoo) climbed 40 fils to KD 1.160 taking year’s gains to 60 fils. Kuwait Telecommunications Co (VIVA) was unchanged at KD 0.930 and Agility was down 10 fils at KD 0.620.Kuwait Food Co (Americana) was flat at KD 2.600 and Jazeera Airways too did not budge from its earlier close of 770 fils. The airline has posted a net profit of KD 12.01 million and earnings per share of 60.06 fils in the first nine months of 2016.The market opened firm and swung higher in earlier trade. The price index rose further to scale the day’s highest level of 5,774.97 pts amid spurt in buying in select counters before retreating . It traded sideways past the mid-session and slipped into red in the final minutes to bottom at 5,744.23 pts before clawing back into the green turf.Top gainer of the day, Marakez vaulted 7.41 pct to 29 fils with razor thin volume and Shuaiba Industrial Co climbed 7.27 percent to stand next. Kuwait Cable Vision Co slid 9.8 percent, the steepest decliner of the day and Gulf Petroleum Industries Co topped the volume with 27.7 million shares.Despite the day’s uptick, the losers outnumbered the winners.44 stocks advanced whereas 48 closed lower. Of the 144 counters active on Wednesday, 52 closed lower. 4,755 deals worth KD 21.27 mln were transacted — a 11.56 pct rise in value from the day before.National Industries Group was unchanged at 122 fils after trading 2.3 million shares and Gulf Cable followed suit to wind up at 380 fils. Kuwait Cement Co pause at 395 fils whereas Kuwait Portland Cement Co gave up 10 fils to settle at 900 fils.Kuwait Foundry Co stagnated at 182 fils and Boubyan Petrochemical Co too did not budge from its earlier close of 500 fils. Heavy Engineering Industries and Shipping Co gave up 2 fils to end at 170 fils while Metal and Recycling Co stood pat at 65 fils.DippedKuwait and Gulf Link Transport Co dipped 5 fils to 63 fils and KGL Logistics Co inched 1 fils into green. Gulf Glass Manufacturing Co slipped 5 fils and UPAC was down 10 fils at 660 fils. Burgan Well Drilling Co slipped 3 fils to 99 fils.Al Qurain Petrochemical Co and ALAFCO clipped 2 fils each whereas IFA Hotels and Resorts was up 10 fils at 172 fils. Zimah Holding Co inched 1 fils up to 43 fils and Mezzan Holding paused at KD 0.930.ACICO Industries rose 5 fils and Alrai Media Group Co took in 2 fils. Kuwait National Cinema Co stalled at KD 1.160 and Yiaco Medical Co shed 15 fils.In the banking sector, Commercial Bank of Kuwait rose 5 fils to 415 fils and Gulf Bank held ground at 240 fils. Al Ahli Bank fell 5 fils to 295 fils whereas Ahli United Bank stood pat at 405 fils.Burgan Bank fell 5 fils to 305 fils and Kuwait International Bank dialed down 2 fils to settle at 208 fils. Boubyan Bank paused at 395 fils and Warba Bank clipped 2 fils before closing at 224 fils.Investment conglomerate KIPCO was flat at 510 fils and National Investment Co followed suit with a volume of over 1 million. Kuwait Investment Co added 3 fils and International Financial Advisors inched 0.5 fils higher to 31.5 fils.KAMCO fell 2 fils to 95 fils and Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) rose 4 fils while Bayan Investment Co and KMEFIC took in 0.5 fils each. Osoul Investment Co edged 1 fils higher and Securities House Co followed suit after trading over 9 million shares.KFIC rose 2.5 fils to 39.5 fils whereas Sokouk Holding and Unicap were unchanged at 36.5 fils and 48.5 fils respectively. Noor Financial Investment Co eased 0.5 fils and Amwal stood pat at 24.5 fils with a volume of 5.5 million shares.Kuwait Real Estate Co was unchanged at 62 fils after trading 1.5 million shares while National Real Estate Co gave up 2 fils to close at 104 fils. United Real Estate Co took in 2 fils with thin trading and Mabanee Co climbed 10 fils. Mazaya Holding stagnated at 110 fils.The market has been upbeat so far during the week and has climbed 76 pts in last four sessions. It has gained 198 points from the start of the month and is up 2.46 pct year-to-date. KSE, with 208 listed companies, is the second largest bourse in the region.In the bourse related news, Shuaiba Industrial Co has recorded a net profit of KD 1.66 million and earnings per share of 20.94 fils in 2016, 9M up from net profit of KD 1.33 mln and earnings per share of 16.83 fils in same period of 2015.Aqar Real Estate Investments Co has registered a net profit of KD 923,223 and earnings per share of 4.34 fils in the January-September period down from net profit of KD 1.72 million and EPS of 7.63 fils in the 9M of 2015.Jeeran Holding Co has logged a net profit of KD 431,750 and earnings per share of 3.17 fils in the first nine-month of 2016 up sharply from net profit of KD 177,518 and earnings per share of 1.30 fils in the 9M of 2015.Kuwait Building Materials Mfg. has registered a net profit of KD 159,204 and earnings per share of 5.3 fils in the January-September period as against net profit of KD 363,059 and earnings per share of 12 fils in the same period last year.Hilal Cement Company has logged a net loss of KD 3,709 and loss per share of 0.04 fils in the January-September period of 2016 narrowing from a net loss of KD 117,151 and LPS of 1.39 fils in same period in 2015.By John MathewsArab Times Staff