Despite public investment cuts and a broad economic slowdown in the wake of lower oil prices, Oman’s construction sector continues to grow at a relatively brisk pace, bolstered by state-led diversification efforts, high income levels and relatively low labour costs. The building industry grew by a robust 10.4% in 2016, up markedly on the two previous years, according to the latest official...
The utilities industry in Oman is going through a transitional period in anticipation of major restructuring and renewal in the water and electricity segments. While large-scale retail competition in electricity is not yet feasible, changes in technology, such as the introduction of cost-reflective tariffs (CRT), are making distributed provision more cost-effective. The most significant...
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...
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