Saturday 01 / August / 2026
Muscat: The main index of the Muscat Stock Exchange resumed its rise during the week, increasing by about 160 points and closing at 7277 points. This was on the back of benefiting from the demand of individual investors to buy and the increase in purchases by local and Gulf investment funds and institutions.
Sectoral indices recorded a collective rise, with the prices of most leading stocks increasing, such as Bank Muscat, Omantel, Bank Sohar International, OQ Basic Industries, OQ Exploration and Production, and many industrial, investment, and energy companies.
The financial sector index recorded the highest gains, rising 257 points, the industrial sector index rose by more than 100 points, the services sector index rose 49 points, and the Sharia index climbed to 578, rising 6 points.
The week’s trading saw the prices of 45 securities rise and 25 securities decline, which boosted investor confidence and encouraged them to buy after the financial results for the first half of this year showed an increase in company profits and an improvement in their financial results.
Trading value during the week recorded an increase of 40 percent, exceeding OMR255 million, compared to about OMR182.7 million in the week before. Also the number of transactions executed increased by 15.8 percent from 39,000 to more than 46,000 transactions.
Trading data issued by the Muscat Stock Exchange indicated an increase in purchases by individual Omani investors, who accounted for 19.3 percent of the total trading value, compared to sales of 16.7 percent. The data also indicated an increase in purchases by Gulf investment institutions, which accounted for about 7.5 percent of the total trading value, compared to sales of 4.5 percent, while local investment funds and institutions worked to diversify their investment portfolios.
During the week, investors sought to increase their purchases after the declines witnessed by stocks during the past weeks, positive disclosures by publicly listed companies on the stock exchange, and optimistic expectations regarding the financial results for this year. This demand was reflected in the market capitalisation of the Muscat Stock Exchange, which rose by the end of trading on Thursday to OMR37.58 billion, recording weekly gains estimated at OMR412 million.
The week also saw increased demand for shares of many companies, with OQ Basic Industries topping the list of most traded companies in terms of trading value after witnessing trades worth OMR55.4 million, representing 21.6 percent of the total trading value. Bank Muscat came in second with trades worth OMR45.7 million, Bank Sohar International came in third with trades worth OMR33.4 million, Omantel came in fourth with trades worth 25.9 million, while OQ Gas Networks came in fifth with trades worth OMR25.7 million, representing 10 percent of the total trading value.
Oman and Emirates Investment Holding Company's stock led the winning stocks, rising by 16 percent and closing at 130 baisa. Al Batinah Power Company's stock rose to 182 baisa, recording an increase of 13.7 percent, and Al Suwadi Power Company's stock rose by 13.7 percent and also closed at 182 baisa.
In contrast, SMN Power Holding shares led the losing stocks, declining by 5.4 percent and closing at 191 baisa, while Al Sharqiyah Desalination shares fell by 5.2 percent and closed at 161 baisa, and Takaful Oman Insurance shares declined to 62 baisa, recording a decrease of 4.6 percent.
In the bonds and sukuk market, Oman Arab Bank’s mandatory conversion bonds 2024 rose by 27 percent and closed at OMR1.906, Ahli Bank’s bonds 2025 rose by 12.5 percent and closed at 135 baisa, and Ominvest’s perpetual bonds 2023 climbed to 875 baisa, recording an increase of 4.7 percent. The market did not witness any decline, and its trading value reached OMR255,000 Omani rials.
