The Middle East

The strong headwinds of 2017 in Oman’s oil and gas sector have spurred the authorities to develop new sources of revenue. Despite recovering to 2015 levels of $55 a barrel, the steep fall in prices that saw Omani crude fall from $103 per barrel in 2014 to $40 in 2016 has squeezed state finances and added urgency to diversification efforts. On the back of a drop in crude output – following an...

The Omani insurance market has witnessed robust growth in recent years, which has helped gradually boost penetration rates. As in many countries, compulsory motor insurance has long been the leading branch in the sector, but previously underdeveloped segments, including life and health, are now expanding rapidly; the former has seen significant gains as foreign insurers expand their presence,...

The sultanate is home to a well-developed stock exchange, the Muscat Securities Market, which was founded in 1988. The equity market has seen a decline in initial public offering activity in recent years; however, it witnessed a resurgence in 2017 thanks to government-driven offerings, more of which are set to take place in 2018. On the debt side, there has been a recent uptick in issues and...

Oman’s banking sector appears to have ridden out recent economic headwinds largely unscathed. While concerns over liquidity arose in the wake of the oil price slump due to the government’s status as an important depositor, the situation improved in 2017 as the Omani state borrowed from abroad to avoid withdrawing funds or pushing up funding costs through heavy local borrowing. The sector is...

Oman’s economy benefits from large oil and gas reserves, including a sizeable new gas field that began production in late 2017. Located between Asia and Africa – and adjacent to major international shipping routes – the sultanate’s geographic location also makes it a natural regional logistics and manufacturing hub. The authorities are seeking to leverage such advantages in order to diversify...