Company Insights Muscat Stock Exchange Markets Muscat Stock Exchange Overview The Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) is the principal stock exchange in Oman. Established in 1988 as the Muscat Securities Market, it operates under the supervision of Oman’s Capital Market Authority. It was rebranded as the Muscat Stock Exchange in 2021. MSX is fully owned by the Oman Investment Authority. It has joined with international partners such as Euronext for technical and strategic development. The exchange includes three segments: the main market for well-established companies, the parallel market for smaller or emerging companies and the third market for companies undergoing restructuring. Key sectors include banking, energy and telecoms. Muscat Stock Exchange News Markets OQ chemical subsidiary targets $490m from IPO OQ Base Industries, a subsidiary of Oman’s state energy company OQ, intends to raise up to OR187 million ($490 million) through an initial public offering on the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX). The price range was set between 106 and 111 baisas per share, valuing the company between OR188 million and OR385 million. The subscription period […] November 19, 2024 Banking & Finance Profit of Omani-listed banks rises 19% to $1.17bn in 2023 Omani banks listed on the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) recorded net profits of OMR453.5 million ($1.17 billion) in 2023, an annual increase of 18.6 percent. The preliminary financial results showed that all seven banks listed on the stock exchange posted higher profits, the state-run Oman News Agency reported. Bank Muscat led the rankings with a […] January 29, 2024 Analysis Markets Strong demand for Oman’s biggest IPO in two decades Oman’s joint-biggest initial public offering is attracting huge interest among retail investors, despite subdued recent activity on Muscat’s bourse, a senior financial industry executive told AGBI. OQ Gas Network (OQGN), a subsidiary of national oil company OQ, will sell 49 percent – or 2.12 billion – of its shares in an IPO. The company this […] September 22, 2023 Markets Oman’s $260m fund to boost stock market liquidity Oman Investment Authority (OIA), the state-owned sovereign wealth fund, has allocated OMR100 million ($260.14 million) to boost liquidity in the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX). A new liquidity fund initiative has been launched in cooperation with the National Programme for Financial Sustainability and Financial Sector Development, state-run Oman News Agency reported. Aoun Abbas Al Bahrani, the […] June 26, 2023 Markets Oman hopes to emulate Gulf neighbours in IPO push Oman has belatedly launched a renewed part-privatisation drive and plans to float stakes in dozens of state-owned companies, following the success of similar programmes in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The sales aim to boost Omani state coffers and diversify equity listings on the rebranded Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) – until April 2021, the Muscat Securities […] April 24, 2023 Markets Oman to list state-owned entities to boost sultanate’s capital market State-owned enterprises that are part of Oman Investment Authority (OIA) are gearing up for privatisation through listing on the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX), the Oman Daily Observer said, citing bourse CEO Haitham bin Salim Al Salmi. The proposals are aimed at boosting the growth of the country’s capital market over the next five years. The […] October 9, 2022 Markets Omani bourse eyes FTSE and MSCI emerging market status The Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) is working on upgrading to the ‘Emerging Market’ stock exchange status as part of a five-year strategy to go private in five years through a listing, the Oman Daily Observer reported, citing CEO Haitham Al Salmi. He added that the bourse is currently focusing on reclassifying the market to enter […] September 13, 2022 Energy Omani energy services provider eyes potential IPO Abraj Energy Services, an Omani state-owned oil and gas field services provider, is looking at launching an initial public offering (IPO), as the Sultanate looks to develop the revamped Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX). The company, which is a subsidiary of state investment vehicle OQ, said in a press statement it is “currently reviewing the possibility […] August 31, 2022 Energy Oman puts partial privatisation of power distribution firm on hold The proposed partial privatisation of Oman’s power distribution provider, Muscat Electricity Distribution Company (MEDC), is currently on hold pending a review of options for the broader restructuring of the country’s distribution companies, according to a local media report. The decision to hold the intended privatisation came from the Authority for Public Services Regulation, Hamdan Al […] August 24, 2022 Banking & Finance Saudi firms lead MENA IPO charge amid global gloom Initial public offering (IPO) activity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is bucking global trends, with investors rushing to take opportunities across a wide range of sectors. Despite uncertainties affecting the global IPO outlook – including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict – the MENA region saw a 400 percent year-on-year increase in the number […] May 25, 2022 Posts navigation
Markets OQ chemical subsidiary targets $490m from IPO OQ Base Industries, a subsidiary of Oman’s state energy company OQ, intends to raise up to OR187 million ($490 million) through an initial public offering on the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX). The price range was set between 106 and 111 baisas per share, valuing the company between OR188 million and OR385 million. The subscription period […] November 19, 2024
Banking & Finance Profit of Omani-listed banks rises 19% to $1.17bn in 2023 Omani banks listed on the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) recorded net profits of OMR453.5 million ($1.17 billion) in 2023, an annual increase of 18.6 percent. The preliminary financial results showed that all seven banks listed on the stock exchange posted higher profits, the state-run Oman News Agency reported. Bank Muscat led the rankings with a […] January 29, 2024
Analysis Markets Strong demand for Oman’s biggest IPO in two decades Oman’s joint-biggest initial public offering is attracting huge interest among retail investors, despite subdued recent activity on Muscat’s bourse, a senior financial industry executive told AGBI. OQ Gas Network (OQGN), a subsidiary of national oil company OQ, will sell 49 percent – or 2.12 billion – of its shares in an IPO. The company this […] September 22, 2023
Markets Oman’s $260m fund to boost stock market liquidity Oman Investment Authority (OIA), the state-owned sovereign wealth fund, has allocated OMR100 million ($260.14 million) to boost liquidity in the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX). A new liquidity fund initiative has been launched in cooperation with the National Programme for Financial Sustainability and Financial Sector Development, state-run Oman News Agency reported. Aoun Abbas Al Bahrani, the […] June 26, 2023
Markets Oman hopes to emulate Gulf neighbours in IPO push Oman has belatedly launched a renewed part-privatisation drive and plans to float stakes in dozens of state-owned companies, following the success of similar programmes in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The sales aim to boost Omani state coffers and diversify equity listings on the rebranded Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) – until April 2021, the Muscat Securities […] April 24, 2023
Markets Oman to list state-owned entities to boost sultanate’s capital market State-owned enterprises that are part of Oman Investment Authority (OIA) are gearing up for privatisation through listing on the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX), the Oman Daily Observer said, citing bourse CEO Haitham bin Salim Al Salmi. The proposals are aimed at boosting the growth of the country’s capital market over the next five years. The […] October 9, 2022
Markets Omani bourse eyes FTSE and MSCI emerging market status The Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) is working on upgrading to the ‘Emerging Market’ stock exchange status as part of a five-year strategy to go private in five years through a listing, the Oman Daily Observer reported, citing CEO Haitham Al Salmi. He added that the bourse is currently focusing on reclassifying the market to enter […] September 13, 2022
Energy Omani energy services provider eyes potential IPO Abraj Energy Services, an Omani state-owned oil and gas field services provider, is looking at launching an initial public offering (IPO), as the Sultanate looks to develop the revamped Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX). The company, which is a subsidiary of state investment vehicle OQ, said in a press statement it is “currently reviewing the possibility […] August 31, 2022
Energy Oman puts partial privatisation of power distribution firm on hold The proposed partial privatisation of Oman’s power distribution provider, Muscat Electricity Distribution Company (MEDC), is currently on hold pending a review of options for the broader restructuring of the country’s distribution companies, according to a local media report. The decision to hold the intended privatisation came from the Authority for Public Services Regulation, Hamdan Al […] August 24, 2022
Banking & Finance Saudi firms lead MENA IPO charge amid global gloom Initial public offering (IPO) activity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is bucking global trends, with investors rushing to take opportunities across a wide range of sectors. Despite uncertainties affecting the global IPO outlook – including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict – the MENA region saw a 400 percent year-on-year increase in the number […] May 25, 2022
