Saturday 11 / July / 2026
Muscat: The Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) strategy, which was launched in 2022, has focused on providing an efficient investment environment that operates according to the best standards and practices applied in global markets, in addition to providing diverse opportunities that are in line with the directions of Oman Vision 2040.
Haitham bin Salem Al Salmi, CEO of the Muscat Stock Exchange, explained that the strategy set by the exchange between 2022 until the end of 2026 has achieved a completion rate of about 96 percent so far, after the completion of all major projects.
He further added that work is underway to complete some products during the next few months, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), in addition to announcing the fulfillment of the requirements for inclusion in global indices.
He confirmed that the stock exchange has completed all the requirements of the FTSE Global Index and is currently awaiting the assessments being conducted by the relevant authorities regarding this index.
He pointed out that the stock exchange has begun preparing its strategic plan for the next five years, which includes introducing new financial products, developing technology plans, and defining the features of the stock exchange as a group, including its listing as a public shareholding company, indicating that these plans are being completed and prepared in the current stage.
He stressed that the first strategy had a clear impact, most notably the increase in the market value of listed public shareholding companies from 20 percent of GDP to 38 percent currently, with expectations that it will reach about 40 percent after the listing of Omifco. He further added that there has been an increase in the average daily trading volume from less than OMR2 million to about OMR60 million per day, which is equivalent to a growth of 30 times since the beginning of the implementation of the strategy.
He further added that the sectoral distribution has witnessed a remarkable development, as the financial sector previously accounted for about 60 percent of the market, while the market value is now distributed between the financial sector and the services sector, while the remaining is distributed between the industrial sector and bonds, which reinforces the importance of diversification in market value.
He explained that the number of companies whose market value exceeds OMR100 million has increased from 14 previously to more than 29 companies currently. This provides more shares for trading and enhances market depth, stressing that all targets related to enhancing liquidity and market value have been achieved, while the focus during the next period will be on developing and launching new financial products.
He pointed out that the next phase will witness the offering of the remaining percentage of shares of the maritime transport company affiliated with the Asyad Group, after 20 percent of its shares had already been offered.
Regarding IPOs, he affirmed that the Muscat Stock Exchange has succeeded in attracting foreign investors who have never traded on the Muscat Stock Exchange before, whether at the regional or global level.
He explained that the results of the introductory and marketing meetings that were organised outside the Sultanate of Oman showed a shift in the nature of the discussions, as the interest moved from learning about the stock exchange’s plans to inquiring about trading mechanisms and procedures for opening investment accounts, which reflects the growing attractiveness of the market to institutions and investors.
He added that the stock exchange is currently undergoing an upgrade phase, and foreign direct investments have already begun entering the market, while investors specialising in portfolio management are still waiting for the upgrade process to be completed before they begin their investments.
