Egypt's main index inched up by 0.24 percent to end a week of gains at 9,650 points, its highest level in six years, as turnover remained strong at LE964 million (about $138 million).

The session saw a sideways movement, dropping to 9,601 by 1pm before rallying in the last hour and a half of trading.

Large swathes of Cairo, Alexandria and other parts of the country witnessed a major nationwide power outage for hours on Thursday morning, which some analysts blame for the poor performance in the first hours of trade.

The blackout, which lasted hours and incurred financial losses of over LE100 million (about $14 million) in the coastal governorate of Suez alone according to estimates, was caused by a "technical problem" in the national grid, according to the country's electricity ministry. 

Egyptian investors were nonetheless net-buyers to the tune of LE88.4 million (about $12.6 million) by the end of the session, while non-Arab foreign investors were net-sellers for LE59.6 million (about $8.5 million), followed by Arab investors for LE28.8 million (about $4 million).

The benchmark EGX30 index was topped by state-owned landline operator Telecom Egypt, which achieved a turnover of LE74.4 million (about $10.6 million) and saw its share price rise 4.65 percent to LE14.84 after the government ratified a long-anticipated unified telecoms license which will grant it the right to offer mobile services to its customers.

Real estate shares were in the green, as Six of October for Development and Investment Company (SODIC) rose 1.8 percent to trade at LE48.16 and TMG Holding climbed 1.76 percent to LE11. Palm Hills Development Company inched up 0.45 percent to LE4.49.

Ezz Steel, whose former CEO Ahmed Ezz, temporarily pardoned from paying a LE100 million (about $14 million) fine pending a ruling from the court of cassation, rose 1.5 percent to trade at LE17.61.

Cairo-based investment bank EFG-Hermes rose 0.79 percent to LE19.18.

The broader EGX70 fell 0.56 percent.