Saturday 03 / October / 2026
Muscat: Investors on the Muscat Stock Exchange targeted shares of banks, investment, finance, insurance and industrial companies in trading last month. This was on the back of improvement shown by these sectors in recent months and the approaching announcement of the preliminary financial results for the third quarter of this year.
The gains recorded by the shares of banks, investment, finance and insurance companies were reflected in the performance of the financial sector index, which rose 220 points and closed above the level of 13,600 points. The industrial sector index rose by about 200 points and closed at 9,812 points, benefiting from the rise in the shares of Gulf Mushroom Production, Al Anwar Ceramic Tiles, Oman Chlorine, Voltamp Energy, Oman Cement, Al Jazeera Steel Products, Galfar Engineering and Contracting and many other industrial stocks.
In September, the Muscat Stock Exchange saw the prices of 54 securities rise, compared to 41 securities whose prices declined and 13 securities that remained unchanged at their previous levels. However, the recorded increases were not reflected in the main index, which was affected by the recorded declines and closed at 7,566 points, down 37 points. The services sector index recorded the highest losses, affected by the decline in the shares of Asyad Shipping, OQ Gas Networks, Sohar Power and a number of other shares, and closed at 3009 points, down 51 points.
The market capitalisation of the Muscat Stock Exchange rose to OMR39.23 billion by the end of last month, recording gains of about OMR590 million, benefiting from the rise in the market capitalisation of closed companies and public shareholding companies listed on the parallel market.
Trading value in September recorded a decline of 6.4 percent to OMR914 million, compared to about OMR976.5 million in August. However, the number of transactions executed rose to 199,000, compared to 178,000 executed in August.
Bank Sohar International’s stock attracted investors, witnessing trades worth OMR224.4 million, representing 24.5 percent of the total trading value. OQ Basic Industries came in second place with trades worth OMR175.8 million, Omantel came in third with trades worth OMR99.1 million, OQ Gas Networks came in fourth place with trades worth OMR98.7 million Omani riyals, while OQ Exploration and Production came in fifth with trades worth OMR98.3 million, representing 10.7 percent of the total trading value.
Dhofar Food and Investment shares led the gainers, rising by 32.2 percent and closing at 291 baisa. Oman Chromite shares also rose by 32.2 percent and closed at OMR4.800. Oman Arab Bank shares climbed to 340 baisa, rising by 31.2 percent. Gulf Mushroom Production shares rose by 15.2 percent and closed at 492 baisa. Oman India Fertiliser shares rose by 11.7 percent and closed at 228 baisa.
In contrast, National Aluminium Products shares recorded the highest losses, declining by 32.8 percent and closing at 100 baisa. Asyad Shipping shares fell by 14.6 percent and closed at 210 baisa. Sohar Power shares declined to 190 baisa, recording a decrease of 13.6 percent. Oman Fisheries shares fell to 21 baisa, recording a decrease of 8.7 percent. Fincorp’s shares declined by 7.8 percent and closed at 94 baisa.
The bond and sukuk market witnessed trading worth OMR779,000 in September, recording a decline of 42 percent from its level in August, which amounted to OMR1.3 million. The Omani Finance Services 2026 bonds recorded the highest gains, rising by 18.4 percent and closing at 90 baisa. United Finance bonds rose by 8.9 percent and closed at 85 baisa. Oman Arab Bank mandatory conversion bonds rose by 2.5 percent and closed at 1 riyal and 999 baisa. The number of transactions executed in the bond and sukuk market last month amounted to 475.
