Boosting liquidity and encouraging greater trading volumes are two strategic objectives shared by exchanges in the region, and in pursuing them the GCC’s stock markets face the same central question of how to mitigate the effects of stubbornly low oil prices and the economic uncertainty that results from them. The challenge was thrown into...
It is nearly a decade since banking sector liquidity was last a significant concern in the GCC, but the precipitous decline of crude oil prices that began in the summer of 2014 has brought the issue to the fore once again. The major role played by the hydrocarbons industry in regional economies means that large alterations to spot prices and...
What opportunities do you see for synergy between the financial sectors of Oman and Iran?
The insurance industry in Oman has grown strongly in recent years and now plays an important role in the domestic economy, rising from 0.9% of GDP in 2008 to 1.6% in 2015. Important regulatory changes made in 2015 and 2016, aimed at strengthening the industry’s capital base, promise to usher in a new era of expansion and to boost the amount of premiums retained within the local market. To grow...
The securities exchange in Muscat is a vital component of the Omani economy. The bourse serves as a showcase for the sultanate’s large enterprises, but its primary function is to act as an arena in which pooled capital can be distributed to investment sectors. In 2015, for example, the exchange had the capacity to provide OR2.56bn ($6.6bn) in funding. Throughout 2016, however, subdued oil...
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