Morocco's equity market finished the trading session lower on Friday, with selling pressure concentrated in the Utilities, Banking and Mining sectors. At the close in Casablanca, the Moroccan All Shares index was down 1.46%.
Among individual movers, consumer-oriented Lesieur Cristal (CSE:LES) led gains on the index, finishing up 9.99% - a 32.05-point increase - to close at 353.00. Sugar producer Compagnie Sucrerie Marocaine et de Raffinage SA (CSE:CSR) rose 9.98%, gaining 16.50 points to end the session at 181.85, while IB Maroc Com SA (CSE:IBC) advanced 9.83% or 5.90 points to finish at 65.90.
On the downside, Afriquia Gaz (CSE:GAZ) was the weakest performer, sliding 9.53% - a 386.00-point drop - to close at 3,664.00. The stock fell to five-year lows during the session. Payments and card-services firm S2M (CSE:S2M) declined 8.23% or 45.90 points to 512.10, and Auto Hall (CSE:ATH) fell 8.13%, down 6.99 points to 79.00.
Market breadth favored decliners: 44 issues fell, 14 advanced and 4 finished unchanged on the Casablanca Stock Exchange.
Commodities and currency moves
Global commodity prices were notably stronger during the session. Crude oil for April delivery increased 9.85%, climbing by 7.98 to $88.99 a barrel. Brent oil for May delivery rose 6.66%, up 5.69 to $91.10 a barrel. Precious metals also firmed: the April Gold Futures contract gained 1.48% or 75.29, settling at $5,153.99 a troy ounce.
On the foreign exchange front, EUR/MAD was virtually unchanged with a 0.02% move to 10.78, while USD/MAD rose 0.13% to 9.31. The US Dollar Index Futures were lower, down 0.25% at 99.06.
The session's divergence - with a small group of stocks posting sizable gains while a larger set fell - highlights a market where sector-specific pressures and individual stock dynamics drove price action. The concentration of weakness in Utilities, Banking and Mining was a key factor behind the broader index decline.