Tuesday, January 06, 2026

Oman News

Oman’s banking sector posts solid growth as liquidity nears RO 26 billion

Total loans and financing in Oman climbed to nearly RO 34.7 billion by the end of October 2025, marking a strong year-on-year increase.

TAS News Service

info@thearabianstories.com

Sunday, January 4, 2026

Muscat: According to figures released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information, total loans and financing in the Sultanate of Oman reached approximately RO 34.733 billion by the end of October 2025. This represents a 9 per cent rise compared to RO 31.875 billion recorded during the same period in 2024.

The data showed steady growth across key monetary indicators. Narrow money supply increased by 7.3 per cent to RO 7.505 billion at the end of October 2025, up from RO 6.996 billion a year earlier. Domestic liquidity rose by 3.6 per cent to RO 25.696 billion, compared to RO 24.808 billion during the same period in 2024, an annual increase of around RO 888 million, reflecting stronger financial and credit activity in the Sultanate.

Private sector confidence also improved, with deposits rising by 9.4 per cent to RO 22.306 billion by the end of October 2025, compared to RO 20.384 billion a year earlier.

On the external front, foreign assets held by the Central Bank of Oman increased slightly by 0.6 per cent to RO 7.253 billion, up from RO 7.209 billion in the corresponding period last year.

Meanwhile, borrowing conditions showed signs of easing. The average interest rate on total loans declined by 3.3 per cent to 5.44 per cent by the end of October 2025, compared to 5.63 per cent in the same period of 2024. The effective exchange rate index of the Omani rial remained stable at 116.4 points, underscoring continued currency stability alongside expanding credit growth.

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