Saturday 10 / October / 2026
Muscat: The Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) recorded the best performance among Gulf stock exchanges in the first nine months of this year, with the main index of the exchange rising by about 29 percent to conclude September trading at 7,566 points, recording an increase of 1,700 points from its level at the end of last year.
The Exchange also witnessed many gains during the current year, with increased investor confidence, improved liquidity levels, and increased investments by local investment funds and institutions. Trading was characterised by increased activity from market makers and liquidity providers, which positively impacted MSX and encouraged individual investors to buy and strengthened their confidence in the sector. Positive financial results, dividend distributions, and improved performance of most listed companies also positively impacted investor confidence and encouraged them to increase their investments.
The main stock exchange index managed to achieve a number of historic record levels during the current year after it rose in January to 6,000 points, and recorded a new record level in February exceeding 7,000 points, then jumped to 8,000 points by March 29, recording its best levels since 2008, and in May the index managed to record its best levels during the current year after it rose to 8,397 points.
The sectoral indices recorded a positive performance in the first nine months of this year, with the financial sector index rising to 13,600 points, recording an increase of about 3,700 points. The industrial sector index recorded gains of 1,965 points and rose to 9,812 points. The services sector index rose by more than 600 points and closed at the end of September at 3,009 points. The Sharia index rose to 618 points, up 92 points from its level at the end of last year.
The value of trading in the first nine months of this year rose to OMR9.73 billion, recording growth of more than 300 percent compared to its level in the same period last year, which amounted to OMR2.42 billion. The number of securities traded recorded an increase of 153 percent rising to 33.4 billion compared to 13.2 billion securities traded in the same period last year. The number of transactions executed rose to 1.31 million compared to 327,000 transactions executed in the same period last year.
The Muscat Stock Exchange recorded its best monthly trading value in April at OMR1.5413 billion, while it recorded its lowest trading value in June at OMR776.1 million. On a quarterly basis, the Muscat Stock Exchange managed to achieve the best gains in the first quarter of this year, exceeding OMR3.5 billion. The second quarter witnessed trading valued at OMR3.3 billion, while trading declined in the third quarter to OMR2.8 billion.
MSX also witnessed a number of shifts in the total market capitalisation, which recorded gains of more than OMR7 billion in the first nine months of this year, concluding September trading at OMR39.2 billion. These gains were supported by the market capitalisation of public shareholding companies, which rose to OMR22.36 billion, recording gains of more than OMR6.3 billion, benefiting from the rise in share prices, the listing of the Oman India Fertilizer Company (Omifco), and the increase in capital by a number of leading companies. The market capitalisation of public shareholding companies at the end of last September constituted about 57 percent of the total market capitalisation of securities listed on the stock exchange.
OQ Exploration and Production (OQEP) topped the list of public shareholding companies in terms of market value at OMR3.84 billion, followed by Bank Muscat with a market value of OMR3.18 billion, Oman India Fertiliser Company with a market value of OMR1.52 billion, Bank Sohar International market value was estimated at OMR1.45 billion, Asyad Shipping market value was put at OMR1.93 billion, and Omantel market value was estimated at OMR1.26 billion.
