Muscat: Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX), in cooperation with the Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges (FEAS), hosted on Tuesday the Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges Conference "ConFEAS 2026," with the participation of an elite group of capital market officials, decision-makers, experts, and specialists from various countries across the world.
The opening of the conference was held under the auspices of Qais Mohammed Al Yousef, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ).
The ConFEAS 2026 conference witnessed the participation of more than 200 participants, 4 panel discussions, and an elite group of international speakers who discussed several key topics in the capital markets sector. These included regional cooperation between financial markets, facilitating access to emerging markets, technological developments and recent trends in financial technologies, alongside best practices in investor relations and market attractiveness.
The Muscat Stock Exchange's hosting of this international event falls within its efforts to enhance the Sultanate of Oman's presence on the global capital markets map and expand horizons of cooperation with international stock exchanges and financial institutions. This contributes to supporting the development of the Omani capital market and boosting its attractiveness for local and foreign investments, in line with the targets of "Oman Vision 2040."
During the working sessions, developments in capital markets, investment opportunities, and topics related to capital market development, enhancing investment prospects, digital transformation, and investor relations were reviewed, with the participation of officials and experts from regional and international financial institutions and stock exchanges. Muscat Stock Exchange reviewed opportunities to develop the market and strengthen regional cooperation.
The first session, titled "Omani Capital Market and Regional Cooperation," addressed the economic development journey in the Sultanate of Oman in light of the targets of Oman Vision 2040, and the role of the capital market in supporting economic diversification and attracting investments.
The session also reviewed efforts to develop the Omani capital market, progress toward fulfilling requirements for its classification among emerging markets, initial public offering (IPO) opportunities, and the importance of enhancing cooperation and integration between capital markets at both regional and international levels.
The second session, titled "Accessing Emerging Markets: Investors' Challenges, Opportunities, and Interests," discussed investment opportunities offered by emerging and promising markets and the challenges facing investors upon entering them, focusing on ways to facilitate cross-border investment and trading, and strengthening connectivity between stock exchanges and financial institutions.
The session focused on the importance of developing market infrastructure and aligning regulatory frameworks to facilitate capital movement, the role of global indices in attracting institutional investments, and international investors' requirements when evaluating investment opportunities in emerging markets.
The third session, titled "Technological Developments and Trends in Capital Markets," touched upon the latest innovations and technical solutions contributing to the development of financial market infrastructure, as well as the role of digital transformation in enhancing operational efficiency, transparency, and market resilience.
The session also addressed modern trends in trading technologies, surveillance, and post-trade operations, along with the importance of deploying advanced technologies to improve investor experience and enhance the capacity of financial markets to keep pace with global developments.
Meanwhile, the fourth session, titled "Enhancing Communication with Investors: Investor Relations and Research," focused on the importance of investor relations and financial research in strengthening trust and transparency within capital markets, as well as the role of disclosures and providing financial information and analytics in supporting investment decisions.
The session also discussed best practices in communicating with investors, enhancing the attractiveness of listed companies, and expanding the investor base, thereby contributing to elevating the efficiency of financial markets and supporting their growth and sustainability.
Haitham Salim Al Salmi, CEO of Muscat Stock Exchange, explained that hosting the conference enhances the presence of the Muscat Stock Exchange on the international stage. He noted that hosting the ConFEAS 2026 conference reflected the exchange's commitment to reinforcing the Sultanate of Oman's standing as a promising investment destination and expanding horizons of cooperation with regional and international capital markets and financial institutions. He added that the conference represented an important platform for exchanging expertise, reviewing global best practices, and discussing opportunities and initiatives that contribute to developing financial markets and raising their efficiency and competitiveness.
He emphasised that the Muscat Stock Exchange has continued its efforts to develop the market and enhance its attractiveness to investors by supporting innovation, expanding investment opportunities, and reinforcing interconnectivity with regional and international markets. The conference provided new opportunities for dialogue and exchange of insights on capital market development, and the exchange looks forward to building upon its outcomes to strengthen cooperation and partnerships while supporting the development journey of the Omani capital market in line with the targets of "Oman Vision 2040."
For his part, Radu Hanga, President of the Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges, stated that the conference represented an important international platform that brought together capital market officials, experts, and financial institutions to discuss prominent developments in the sector, exchange expertise and experiences, and explore cooperation opportunities among member markets and international partners.
He added that this hosting reflected the importance of enhancing communication and integration between regional and international markets, as the conference sessions provided an opportunity to exchange insights on supporting innovation, developing market infrastructure, facilitating access to investment opportunities, and strengthening linkages between emerging and promising markets.
Konstantin Saroyan, Secretary General of the Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges, said: "The ConFEAS conference has proven once again the great importance of regional cooperation. Amid the technological transformations and global changes facing capital markets, the meeting of key stakeholders in Muscat provided an opportunity to align strategic visions, enhance market transparency, and build stronger cross-border cooperation ties between markets in the Euro-Asian region."
The ConFEAS conference received support from several leading financial and investment institutions within the strategic partners and lead partners categories, reflecting the interest of institutions operating in the financial sector to participate in initiatives that contribute to developing capital markets, enhancing cooperation, and exchanging views and expertise.
Muscat Stock Exchange's hosting of the ConFEAS conference reaffirmed its role in enhancing communication between capital markets, financial institutions, and investment entities, opening new horizons for cooperation, knowledge exchange, and expertise sharing, as well as introducing developments occurring in the Omani capital market and investment opportunities available in the Sultanate of Oman.
The conference also contributed to enhancing dialogue among regulatory bodies, stock exchanges, investors, and financial institutions, discussing initiatives that support market development and facilitate cross-border investment flows, thereby reinforcing the Sultanate of Oman's presence on the map of international economic and financial events.