Stock Markets March 18, 2026

Moroccan Equities Climb at Close; All Shares Index Advances 2.62%

Banking, beverage and transport stocks support gains as energy and currency moves mark the wider market backdrop

By Ajmal Hussain
Moroccan Equities Climb at Close; All Shares Index Advances 2.62%

Moroccan stocks ended higher in Casablanca on Wednesday, with the Moroccan All Shares index finishing up 2.62% as gains in Banking, Beverage and Transport sectors lifted the market. Broader commodity and currency moves provided context for the session, with crude and Brent oil rising while gold futures slipped. Market breadth favored advancers, and several individual stocks recorded notable percentage moves.

Key Points

  • The Moroccan All Shares index closed up 2.62% in Casablanca, led by gains in Banking, Beverage and Transport sectors.
  • Leading individual gains: M2M Group (CSE:M2M) +6.83% to 449.95, Delta Holding S.A (CSE:DHO) +6.36% to 58.50, Marocaine Ste de Therapeutique SA (CSE:SOT) +4.87% to 1,657.00.
  • Notable declines: SMI (CSE:SMI) -3.83% to 6,251.00, S2M (CSE:S2M) -2.73% to 535.00, Taqa Morocco SA (CSE:TQM) -1.37% to 1,795.00. Advancers outnumbered decliners 46 to 9, with 4 unchanged.

Moroccan equities closed higher on Wednesday, with the Moroccan All Shares index up 2.62% at the Casablanca close. Sector strength in Banking, Beverage and Transport underpinned the rise, while market breadth favored advancing issues.

The session's top performers on the Moroccan All Shares included M2M Group (CSE:M2M), which rose 6.83% - a gain of 28.75 points - to finish at 449.95. Delta Holding S.A (CSE:DHO) added 6.36%, or 3.50 points, closing at 58.50. Marocaine Ste de Therapeutique SA (CSE:SOT) also posted a solid advance, up 4.87% or 77.00 points to end the day at 1,657.00.

On the downside, SMI (CSE:SMI) was the weakest name of the session, slipping 3.83% - a loss of 249.00 points - to trade at 6,251.00 at the close. S2M (CSE:S2M) declined 2.73%, or 15.00 points, to finish at 535.00, while Taqa Morocco SA (CSE:TQM) dropped 1.37%, or 25.00 points, ending at 1,795.00.

Advancers outpaced decliners by a wide margin on the Casablanca Stock Exchange, with 46 stocks rising against 9 that fell, and 4 remaining unchanged.

Commodity markets provided an active backdrop to the trading day. Crude oil for May delivery increased 1.86%, or $1.78, to $97.31 a barrel. Brent oil for May delivery climbed 4.95%, or $5.12, to $108.54 a barrel. Precious metals moved in the opposite direction: the April Gold Futures contract declined 2.69%, or $134.84, to trade at $4,873.36 a troy ounce.

Foreign exchange movements accompanied the session: EUR/MAD rose 0.14% to 10.81, and USD/MAD gained 0.19% to 9.38. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.26% at 99.58.


As the market closed, the combination of sector-led support in Banking, Beverage and Transport and the broader commodity and FX environment shaped the day’s outcome. Market participants recorded a clear bias toward rising names, while energy price gains and currency movements provided additional context for investor positioning.

Risks

  • Commodity price volatility - crude and Brent oil rose during the session, which can influence energy-related and broader market sentiment.
  • Currency fluctuations - movements in EUR/MAD and USD/MAD introduce FX-related uncertainty for companies with cross-border exposure.
  • Concentration risk in market moves - a relatively small number of large percentage movers can affect headline index performance even if broader market participation varies.

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