Private listings key to Oman market growth

MUSCAT, OCT 14
Oman needs a steady pipeline of private-sector listings to turn growing international recognition into opportunities for long-term investors, Ehsan Khoman, Macro Strategist at BlackRock, told ConFEAS 2026 in Muscat.
Speaking during a panel discussion on capital markets and regional cooperation, Khoman said Oman had gained recognition from international credit rating agencies and investors following the Covid-19 pandemic. The next phase of market development, however, would increasingly depend on investment returns and the ability of private companies to access the capital market.
His comments came a week after FTSE Russell placed Oman on its Watch List for potential reclassification from Frontier to Secondary Emerging Market status.
Khoman pointed to the Muscat Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market as a potential route for smaller enterprises and family-owned businesses to strengthen their institutional structures, raise capital and create opportunities for liquidity.
The market offers eligible companies more flexible listing conditions, although trading is restricted to sophisticated investors.
Khoman acknowledged the contribution of the Oman Investment Authority’s public offering initiatives to market development, while calling for more sustained participation by privately owned companies.
A consistent flow of private-sector issuers alongside government divestments would broaden the range of companies available to investors and support the market’s next stage of expansion.
His remarks highlighted the importance of building on international recognition by expanding investment opportunities. The availability of investable companies and their ability to deliver sustainable returns would remain central to attracting longer-term capital, he said.