Muscat – Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) has announced an extension of its trading hours effective June 1, 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen market infrastructure, improve trading efficiency and align operations with international best practices.

The move forms part of MSX’s broader strategy to provide longer trading windows for order execution, support market liquidity, improve price discovery and enhance overall market depth and stability.

Under the revised schedule, the pre-opening session will run from 9.30am to 10am, followed by the continuous trading session until 2.45pm. The pre-closing session will continue until 2.55pm, followed by the closing price trading session until 3pm, marking the official market close.

MSX said the revised structure is designed to provide a more efficient trading environment by balancing execution flexibility with pricing accuracy, particularly during market opening and closing periods.

According to the exchange, the extension represents a significant step towards aligning trading hours with regional and international markets, improving integration with global financial systems and enabling investors to interact with the Omani market within timeframes more closely aligned with international investment strategies.

The exchange added that longer trading hours are expected to provide market participants with additional time to respond to local, regional and global economic developments and news flows. MSX also expects the revised trading schedule to help attract a broader investor base, particularly foreign investors, while supporting liquidity levels and trading activity through improved order distribution across a longer session. The move is expected to reduce concentration during limited trading periods and improve execution quality. The initiative forms part of a broader package of market development measures being implemented by MSX, including strengthening the role of market makers and liquidity providers, enhancing regulatory and operational frameworks and improving investor experience through digital channels.

Haitham Al Salmi, chief executive officer of MSX, said, “Extending trading hours marks a strategic step within MSX’s ongoing development journey. We are working to build a more flexible and efficient trading environment capable of responding to economic developments while enhancing the market’s attractiveness for investment.”

He added that aligning trading hours with regional and international markets would strengthen the integration of the Omani market within the global financial system and support the attraction of international investment flows. “The extended hours also provide investors with additional time to react to economic developments, improving market efficiency and trading dynamism while supporting liquidity levels,” Al Salmi said.

He said the initiative is part of a broader series of reforms aimed at developing market infrastructure, strengthening the role of market makers and liquidity providers, enhancing investor experience and building a deeper and more diversified capital market capable of attracting long-term investment.