- Report shows institutions and companies sold shares worth 6.746 billion dinars ($20.7 billion) during the six-month period, while purchases amounted to 6.684 billion dinars ($20.5 billion).
- Net trading position recorded net sales of approximately 61.3 million dinars ($188.2 million).
Corporate investors strengthened their position as the dominant force on the Kuwait Stock Exchange during the first half of 2026, accounting for the largest share of market activity as institutional participation continued to drive trading trends.
The institutions and companies sector emerged as the biggest contributor to trading activity on Boursa Kuwait between January and June 2026, representing 67.2 percent of total shares sold and 66.6 percent of total shares purchased, according to a report by Al-Shall Consulting based on data from the Kuwait Clearing Company.
The figures reflect a significant rise compared with the same period in 2025, when institutions accounted for 62 percent of selling activity and 64.2 percent of buying activity, highlighting the growing role of corporate investors in Kuwait’s capital market.
The report showed that institutions and companies sold shares worth 6.746 billion dinars ($20.7 billion) during the six-month period, while purchases amounted to 6.684 billion dinars ($20.5 billion).
Their net trading position recorded net sales of approximately 61.3 million dinars ($188.2 million).
Individual investors remain key market players
Individual investors ranked second in terms of contribution to market liquidity, although their share declined compared with the previous year.
The individual sector accounted for 30.3 percent of total purchases and 29.6 percent of total sales, compared with 33.9 percent and 35.9 percent respectively during the same period in 2025.
Individuals purchased shares worth 3.039 billion dinars ($9.3 billion) and sold shares valued at 2.965 billion dinars ($9.1 billion), resulting in net purchases of approximately 74.6 million dinars ($228.9 million).
Client portfolios ranked third among market participants, contributing 2.6 percent of both buying and selling activity, while investment funds recorded the smallest share of market liquidity, accounting for 0.6 percent of sales and 0.5 percent of purchases.
Kuwaiti investors maintain market dominance
The report highlighted that Boursa Kuwait continues to be largely driven by domestic investors, with Kuwaiti traders accounting for the majority of market activity.
Kuwaiti investors purchased shares worth 8.274 billion dinars ($25.4 billion) during the first half of the year, representing 82.5 percent of total purchases, while sales reached 8.020 billion dinars ($24.6 billion), accounting for 79.9 percent of total sales.
Their overall trading position reflected net buying of approximately 253.8 million dinars ($779 million).
Investors from other nationalities accounted for 18.3 percent of total sales and 16.2 percent of purchases, while GCC investors represented a smaller portion of activity, contributing 1.8 percent of sales and 1.3 percent of purchases.
Active trading accounts rise
The report also showed continued growth in market participation, with the number of active trading accounts increasing by 10.4 percent between the end of December 2025 and June 2026.
By the end of June, active trading accounts reached approximately 52,612, representing 11.1 percent of total registered accounts, compared with 50,811 accounts at the end of May.
The latest figures underline the growing influence of institutional investors in Kuwait’s financial market, with companies and investment entities playing an increasingly important role in strengthening liquidity, market depth and overall trading activity on Boursa Kuwait.
