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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Confidence in Oman’s financial system remains high: CBO

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BUSINESS REPORTER


MUSCAT, Dec 15


The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) released the eighth issue of the Financial Stability Report (FSR).


The FSR 2020 indicates that “risks to the financial stability in the Sultanate remained on the expected trajectory during 2019 and the confidence of market participants in the Omani financial system stayed high.”


It also signified that the risks elevated in 2020 due to the economic and financial impact created by the COVID-19 pandemic.


The FSR further indicated that while the Nominal GDP declined during 2019 due to lower oil prices, Oman witnessed an uptick in the real economic activity measured at basic prices along with low inflation.


In the meantime, containing the twin deficit and levels of public debt remain top priorities of the macroeconomic policy in Oman to preserve the macro-financial stability of the economy over the medium term in accordance with Vision Oman 2040.


The report also highlights the strength of the domestic banking sector, which allowed sufficient policy space to CBO to counter the impact of the pandemic. Omani Banks entered the pandemic from a position of strength underpinned by healthy capital buffers, solid asset quality, and strong liquidity.


This enabled CBO to relax several regulatory capital requirements for the banks bolstering their capacity to support the real economy during the pandemic.


While acknowledging the challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic and the collapse in oil prices, the report asserts that risks to financial stability are well-contained, considering the renewed efforts to keep the economy on track and the strong financial sector supporting the real economy.


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