Saturday 23 / May / 2026
Muscat: The main index of the Muscat Stock Exchange rose by 388 points at the end of Thursday’s trading, with improved investor sentiment and the return of many leading stocks in various sectors to the rise.
The main index recorded a decline of 328 points in the previous week and closed at 7,631 points. It had fallen in Wednesday's trading to 7,243 points, recording its lowest level in 3 months. However on Thursday, the index was supported by shares of banks, telecommunications, energy companies, and OQ Group companies, which resumed their rise after the declines at the beginning of the previous week.
The sector indices concluded the week's trading on the decline, with the industrial sector index recording the largest drop after losing 220 points, the services sector index falling by 138 points, the financial sector index by 128 points, and the Sharia index recording a decline of 27 points and closing at 612 points.
The declines witnessed by the Muscat Stock Exchange during the past two weeks have highlighted many leading stocks that have fallen to their levels at the end of trading in the first quarter of this year, which has encouraged investors to buy in anticipation of a new upward wave.
Statistical data issued by the Muscat Stock Exchange indicated that shares of Omantel, Al Jazeera Steel Products, Barka Water and Power, Oman Arab Bank, Bank Nizwa, Bank Dhofar, Al Safa Foods, Oman Oil Marketing Company and many other shares rose. Sohar Power shares recorded a remarkable rise, increasing by 41.5 percent from 226 baisa to 320 baisa. Omantel shares rose by 5.8 percent and closed at OMR1.455, and Oman Arab Bank shares rose by 5.3 percent and closed at 215 baisa.
During the week, the Muscat Stock Exchange witnessed the rise in the prices of 25 securities, compared to 59 securities whose prices declined and 12 securities that remained unchanged at their previous levels. The exchange also witnessed the rise in the prices of 56 securities, compared to 5 securities whose prices declined; which reflects the rise in confidence and the return of investors to buying.
This demand was reflected in the market value, which recorded gains of OMR926 million in Thursday’s trading, thus reducing its weekly losses to OMR580 million and concluding the week’s trading at about OMR36.8 billion.
Trading value rose during the week to OMR288.7 million, an increase of 15.7 percent from the previous week’s level of OMR249.4 million, and the number of transactions executed rose by 27.6 percent to 33,747.
OQ Basic Industries topped the list of most traded companies in terms of trading value at OMR69.6 million, representing 24.1 percent of the total trading value. Bank Muscat came in second with trading worth OMR60.4 million, Omantel came third trading worth OMR31.5 million, Bank Sohar International came in fourth with trading worth OMR31.3 million, and OQ Exploration and Production came fifth with trading worth OMR30.5 million, representing 10.5 percent of the total trading value.
Company news: Voltamp Energy said its board of directors decided to reduce the nominal value of the share from 100 baisa to 10 baisa in order to enhance the share's liquidity, increase trading activity, broaden the shareholder base, and make the company's shares more attractive to individual investors. The company indicated that this decision will take effect from June 2nd, explaining that the number of the company's shares will increase from 100 million shares to one billion shares, while the capital will remain at its previous level of OMR10 million. The share price closed in Thursday's trading at OMR1.795.
During the week, the Muscat Stock Exchange listed the first issue of Dhofar Islamic bonds in the bonds and sukuk market. The issue consists of 5 million sukuk with a value of OMR1 per sukuk and an annual profit rate of 5 percent.
