Saturday 20 / September / 2025
Muscat: The Muscat Stock Exchange's main index resumed its upward trend last week after a one-week decline, supported by banking, energy, and industrial stocks, with local investment funds and institutions buying.
The index rose by 41 points to 5,123 points at the end of the week's trading. The industrial sector index recorded the highest increase, rising by 34 points. The services sector index rose by 18 points, and the financial sector index rose by 17 points. Meanwhile, the Sharia index recorded a slight decline of less than one point, closing at 471 points.
The week saw a number of gains that brought the main index back to the 5,100-point level after its decline the previous week, with investors focusing on a number of leading stocks such as Bank Muscat, Bank Sohar International, National Bank of Oman, Al Safa Foods, Salalah Mills, OQ Gas Networks, Asyad Shipping, OQ Basic Industries, as well as energy stocks such as Al Anqa Power, Al Batinah Power, and Al Suwadi Power.
The gains recorded by stocks over the past week pushed the market capitalisation of the Muscat Stock Exchange back to OMR30 billion, concluding weekly trading at OMR30.14 billion, recording weekly gains of more than OMR200 million.
Local investment funds and institutions turned to buying during the week to absorb the wave of selling by individual investors.
Trading data released by the Muscat Stock Exchange indicated that sales by Omani individual investors increased to constitute 23.4 percent of the total trading value, compared to purchases of 17.8 percent of the total trading value. Meanwhile, local investment institutions turned to buying, capturing 76.5 percent of the total trading value, thus reducing their sales to 71.1 percent of the total trading value. This trend by local investment funds and institutions reinforced the gains achieved by stocks in recent weeks.
The trading value reached OMR79.77 million compared to approximately OMR82 million in the previous week. The Muscat Stock Exchange witnessed an increase in the number of transactions executed during the week, which rose to 16,427, compared to 16,328 transactions in the previous week.
OQ Exploration and Production topped the most traded companies in terms of trading value, with OMR16.5 million, representing 20.6 percent of the total trading value. Bank Sohar International came in second with OMR14.9 million, followed by OQ Basic Industries in third place with OMR12 million, representing 15.1 percent of the total trading value.
During the the week, the prices of 33 securities rose, while 34 declined and 24 remained stable. Oman Packaging Company led the gainers, rising 10.4 percent to close at 158 baisas. Al Maha Petroleum Products Marketing Company came in second place, rising 8 percent to close at 990 baisas. Al Anqa Energy rose to 115 baisas, recording a 6.4 percent increase.
On the other hand, Dhofar Food and Investment Company's share recorded the largest declines in the stock market, falling 10 percent to close at 63 baisas. Fincorp Financial Centre's share fell 8.7 percent to close at 42 baisas, and Raysut Cement's share fell 7.6 percent to close at 85 baisas.
In the bonds and sukuk market, Leva's mandatory convertible bonds issued in 2024 topped the most rising securities, recording a 1.4 percent rise and closing at 71 baisas. Ominvest's mandatory convertible bonds issued in 2024 topped the most declining securities, falling 10.5 percent and closing at 76 baisas. The bonds and sukuk market witnessed limited trading during the week, with a value of OMR30,000, compared to approximately OMR87,000 in the previous week.
Corporate news
OQ Gas Networks announced that its board of directors has proposed distributing cash dividends to shareholders amounting to 5.6 baisas per share for the first half of the current year. The company noted that this proposal will be presented to the Ordinary General Assembly scheduled to be held next October.
Last March, OQ Gas Networks distributed cash dividends of 4.92 baisas per share. The stock closed last week at 162 baisas, up 4 baisas during the week. The company's market capitalisation is OMR701.5 million.
