The value of traded shares reached SR3.3 billion on Saturday. Last week, over SR16 billion worth of shares changed hands.

Sagr Insurance was the top gainer on Saturday. Its shares jumped 9.90 percent to close at SR52.75. The other major gainers in the insurance sector were Tawuniya (5.46 percent), United Cooperative Assurance Co. (4.62 percent) and Bupa Arabia (4.46 percent).

Shares in National Agriculture Marketing Co. plunged 9.98 percent to SR37.

Shares for SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Corp.) closed 1.51 percent higher at SR101 after the company said that it started commercial production at a 2.8 million-ton expansion.

According to Tadawul's first quarter report, released on Saturday, total equity market capitalization at the end of the first quarter 2010 reached SR1.34 trillion ($358.63 billion), increased by 52.10 percent over the same period of the previous year.

At the end of the fist quarter, the TASI closed at 6,801.01 points, up 2,097.26 points or 44.59 percent over the same period of the previous year.

On an YTD basis, TASI registered a positive return of 11.10 percent (679.25 points). The highest close level for the index during the period was 6,814.99 points as on March 30.

However, the total value of shares traded for the first quarter dropped by 37.63 percent to SR190.03 billion ($50.76 billion).

The total number of shares traded fell by 51.14 percent to 8.21 billion compared to 16.79 billion shares traded during the first quarter of 2009.

The total number of transactions executed during the first quarter declined by 46.7 percent to 5.35 million compared to 10.04 million trades during same period of 2009.

As part of its role in facilitating the introduction of new financial products and services, Tadawul started the listing and trading of "Falcom Saudi Equity ETF" (exchange traded fund) from March 28. Non-resident foreign investors are also allowed to trade ETF units.

Meanwhile, the total value of traded shares for March was SR70.74 billion, according to the information available on Tadawul website. The percentage share of Saudi nationals from the market trades was 87.7 percent for selling (SR62.02 billion) and 81.1 percent for buying (SR57.34 billion).

The percentage share of Saudi companies from the market trades was 3.7 percent for selling (SR2.62 billion) and 9.0 percent for buying (SR6.38 billion). The percentage share of investment funds from the market trades was 3.2 percent for selling (SR2.24 billion) and 4.0 percent for buying (SR2.79 billion).

The percentage share of GCC nationals from the market trades was 2.3 percent for selling (SR1.62 billion) and 2.0 percent for buying (SR1.42 billion). The percentage share of Arab residence in Saudi Arabia from the market trades was 1.5 percent for selling (SR1.04 billion) and 1.4 percent for buying (SR989.42 million). The percentage share of foreigners resident in Saudi Arabia from the market trades was 0.2 percent for selling (SR169.87 million) and 0.2 percent for buying (SR142.27 million). The percentage share of foreigners via swap agreement from the market trades was 1.5 percent for selling (SR1.03 billion) and 2.4 percent for buying (SR1.67 million).