Capital Markets
From The Report: Oman 2014
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Despite being a stable and growing bourse for a number of years, authorities see a broader, deeper market as a strategic goal to help create economic opportunity. Sustained dedication to that cause has paid off in recent years, chiefly in the form of an increased flow of initial public offerings. The inclusion of sharia-compliant instruments looks set to take off, meaning diversification of the market should continue.
This chapter contains an interview with Sheikh Abdullah Al Salmi, 
 Executive President, Capital Markets Authority; and a viewpoint from Shaheen Al Balushi, CEO, Oman Orix.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Rising star: The outlook for the local exchange is promising as steady growth continues and a new index has been added
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For years the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) has been a small, but stable and growing bourse. Oman’s government and corporations are typically well financed on their own, and therefore access to capital has not been a driving factor helping to increase the size and ease of trading in formal capital markets such as the MSM. Authorities nonetheless see a broader, deeper market as a strategic goal to help create economic opportunity, and sustained dedication to that cause has paid off in recent years,…

Analysis

Opening doors: Increased activity should encourage more firms to put out offerings
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With Oman’s capital markets long on interested investors but short on options, the focus now and in the past has been on what can be done to attract initial public offerings (IPOs) in a market where few lack access to capital. Institutional investors want more trading activity on the market, and have long hoped that the handful of family-owned diversified conglomerates that lead Oman’s private sector would come into the market. However, this is a group whose wealth has insulated it from the forces…

Interview

OBG talks to Sheikh Abdullah Al Salmi, Executive President, Capital Markets Authority (CMA)
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Interview:Sheikh Abdullah Al Salmi How can the CMA encourage more listings? SHEIKH ABDULLAH AL SALMI: The most important objective of the CMA in Oman is to support the national economy and to assist its growth and diversification. This can be accomplished by increasing the number of listings. In our efforts to achieve this, the CMA is taking two main initiatives. The first is to review listing regulations. In doing so, we could ease barriers to entry by reducing transactional costs, by lowering…

Viewpoint

Shaheen Al Balushi, CEO, Oman Orix, on fostering small businesses, economic diversification and job creation
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The small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector has a pivotal role to play in any emerging economy and is an engine of growth for the private sector. Oman’s government has taken unprecedented initiatives to promote growth of SMEs and thereby working towards creating a diversified economy. It is worthwhile to note that the Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development has played a commendable role in driving development. In line with this effort, the Central Bank of Oman has…

Analysis

In high demand: The new Islamic index is set for strong growth
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Oman’s Islamic finance segment looks well placed for strong expansion in 2014, after the government launched a sharia-compliant stock index in July 2013. Already home to more than 30 listed companies, and expected to witness promising investment in the coming years, the Muscat Securities Market Sharia Index (MSMSI) will allow the sultanate to retain valuable domestic investment and continuously expand its offering of sharia-compliant services. Although challenges remain for a specialised financial…