"CMA": Kuwait Stock Exchange Remains Local

Al-Shal reported that the report indicated the corporate and institutional sector remains the largest participant in the market, with its share increasing. It accounted for 67.6 percent of the total value of shares sold (60.7 percent for the same period in 2025) and 67.3 percent of the total value of shares purchased (62.3 percent for the same period in 2025). This sector sold shares worth 11.737 billion dinars, while purchasing shares worth 11.688 billion, resulting in a net trading position as the largest net seller, amounting to approximately 48.853 million dinars.

The second largest contributor to market liquidity is the individual sector, with its share declining. Individuals accounted for 29.7 percent of the total value of shares purchased (35.8 percent for the same period in 2025) and 29.3 percent of the total value of shares sold (37.4 percent for the same period in 2025). Individual investors purchased shares worth 5.157 billion dinars, while selling shares worth 5.092 billion, resulting in a net trading position as the sole net buyers, amounting to approximately 65.236 million dinars.

The third contributor is the client accounts (portfolios) sector, with its share increasing. It accounted for 2.6 percent of the total value of shares sold (1.4 percent for the same period in 2025) and 2.6 percent of the total value of shares purchased (1.5 percent for the same period in 2025). This sector sold shares worth 456.702 million dinars, while purchasing shares worth 453.745 million, resulting in a net trading position as a net seller, amounting to approximately 2.957 million dinars.

The last contributor to market liquidity is the investment funds sector. It accounted for 0.5 percent of the total value of shares sold (0.5 percent for the same period in 2025) and 0.4 percent of the total value of shares purchased (0.5 percent for the same period in 2025). This sector sold shares worth 80.192 million dinars, while purchasing shares worth 66.766 million, resulting in a net trading position as a net seller, amounting to approximately 13.426 million dinars.

Al-Shal clarified that a characteristic of the Kuwait Stock Exchange is its continued status as a local market. Kuwaiti investors were the largest participants, having purchased shares worth 14.560 billion dinars, accounting for 83.8 percent of the total value of shares purchased (85.4 percent for the same period in 2025). They sold shares worth 14.166 billion dinars, accounting for 81.6 percent of the total value of shares sold (87.6 percent for the same period in 2025), resulting in a net trading position as the sole net buyers, amounting to approximately 393.708 million dinars.

The share of other investors in the total value of shares sold amounted to approximately 2.937 billion dinars, representing 16.9 percent of the total value of shares sold (10.5 percent for the same period in 2025). Meanwhile, the value of shares they purchased amounted to approximately 2.600 billion, representing 15.0 percent (13.1 percent for the same period in 2025), resulting in a net trading position as the largest net sellers, amounting to approximately 337.044 million dinars.

The share of investors from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the total value of shares sold amounted to approximately 1.5 percent (1.9 percent for the same period in 2025), valued at 262.946 million dinars. Meanwhile, the value of shares they purchased amounted to approximately 206.282 million, representing about 1.2 percent (1.5 percent for the same period in 2025), resulting in a net trading position as net sellers, amounting to approximately 56.664 million dinars.

The relative distribution among nationalities has shifted compared to the previous period, with Kuwaitis now accounting for approximately 82.7 percent, traders of other nationalities 15.9 percent, and traders from GCC countries 1.4 percent. This contrasts with the same period last year, when Kuwaitis represented about 86.5 percent, traders of other nationalities 11.8 percent, and traders from GCC member states 1.7 percent. Thus, the Kuwait Stock Exchange remains a local exchange, with the largest share held by local investors. Demand from investors outside the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries continues to exceed that of their counterparts within the GCC.

The number of active trading accounts rose by approximately 19.2 percent between the end of December 2025 and the end of October 2026, compared to a 93.6 percent increase between the end of December 2024 and the end of October 2025. At the end of October 2026, the number of active trading accounts stood at approximately 56,834, representing 11.9 percent of total accounts, down from approximately 57,472 accounts at the end of September 2026, which accounted for 12.1 percent of total accounts in that month—a decline of 1.1 percent.