MSX posts highest weekly trading volume of 2025

19/10/2025 03:46 AST

The Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) recorded its highest weekly trading volume of the year last week, driven by increased trading in banking shares, OQ Group companies, and several other leading firms. This comes as most public joint-stock companies have completed announcing their preliminary financial results for the third quarter of the year.

Trading volume rose to RO240.9mn, compared with RO190.8mn in the previous week, registering a 26.2% increase. The number of executed transactions also increased from 19,529 to 25,171.

Last week, the Muscat Stock Exchange saw particularly high trading activity in Sohar International, which accounted for 21.4% of the total trading value, with trades worth RO51.6mn. Bank Muscat ranked second with RO42.8mn, followed by OQ Base Industries with RO35.8mn. Asyad Shipping came fourth with RO28.6mn, while OQ Gas Networks ranked fifth with trades worth RO24.5mn, representing 10.1% of the total trading value.

The MSX's main index continued its upward trajectory last week, gaining 40 points to close at 5,289 points. The financial sector index rose 169 points to 8,923 points, the industrial sector index gained 32 points, and the services sector index edged up 4 points. The Shariah index, however, declined by 4 points to close at 461 points.

Trading data released by the MSX indicated a decline in the total market value of listed securities to RO30.596bn, reflecting weekly losses of RO108.5mn. This drop was largely attributed to a decrease in the market value of the bonds and sukuk segment, which fell below RO5bn. The total market value was also affected by declines in the shares of several companies listed on the parallel market, such as OQ Exploration and Production, whose share price fell by 16bz last week, reducing its market value by RO128mn to RO2.592bn.

Over the week, the prices of 38 securities advanced, 30 declined, and 30 remained unchanged. Al Anwar Investments recorded the highest gains, rising 14.4% to close at 103bz. Leva Group rose 13.4% to 295bz, Oman and Emirates Investment Holding Company increased 11.4% to 78bz, Oman Qatar Insurance Company climbed 9.7% to 192bz, and Al Jazeera Steel Products gained 9% to close at 545bz.

Al Anwar Ceramic Tiles was the biggest loser, falling 10.9% to close at 146bz. Muscat Finance declined 7.2% to 51bz, Al Madina Investment dropped 6.9% to 40bz, Al Maha Ceramics fell 6.4% to 290bz, and OQ Exploration and Production decreased 4.7% to close at 324bz.

Muscat Daily