The MASI index closed at 17,236.4 points (-0.04%) on March 24, 2026, erasing intraday gains that had pushed the benchmark above 17,300 points mid-session. This muted headline masks a brutal sectoral rotation: while oil-linked stocks weathered global volatility, consumer importers crumbled under the dual pressure of a dollar at 9.3268 MAD (+3.23%) and Brent crude at $104.53 per barrel (+4.6%), according to foreign exchange data from market operators.
Today's Casablanca stock exchange session displayed balanced but revealing market breadth: 31 stocks advanced against 29 decliners and 8 unchanged, out of 68 active securities. The MASI 20, benchmark for large-cap liquid stocks, slipped 0.02% to 1,322.09 points, extending its year-to-date underperformance to -11.01%. This dramatic lag versus the broader MASI (-8.54% YTD) and the MASI ESG (-5.1% YTD, +0.19% today) signals investor flight from traditional heavyweights toward defensive mid-caps or ESG-exposed names.
Lesieur Cristal dominated the leaderboard with an 8.7% surge to MAD 386, capitalizing on exploding refining margins driven by the oil price spike. The Iran conflict and Middle East tensions propelled Brent 4.6% higher in a single session, creating a favorable environment for local refiners benefiting from a positive spread between imported crude and domestic refined products. This performance comes as the group sharpens its strategy in edible oils and derivatives, a sector where domestic demand remains inelastic despite inflationary pressures.
Conversely, Société des Boissons du Maroc plunged , while dropped and fell . These three shares share direct exposure to import costs: SBM relies on foreign-currency-denominated concentrates and agricultural raw materials, Label Vie imports a significant portion of its food offerings, and Auto Hall suffers from rising vehicle and spare parts costs in euros and dollars. The dirham's depreciation against the euro (, +3.02%) deepens margin compression for these distributors already facing fierce competition.