Kuwait Stock Exchange opens 2026 with broad declines amid selling pressure
The Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) began trading for the new year 2026 with a generally negative performance, as selling pressure affected most stocks across various sectors. Traders approached the session cautiously, causing fluctuations in indices before closing with overall losses.
The first trading session of the year recorded a modest value of 42.1 million dinars, with the Premier Market accounting for 61 percent of the liquidity and the Main Market covering the remaining 39 percent. Market watchers anticipate that the release of companies’ full-year results for 2025 could influence future movements, reports Al-Jarida daily.
Out of 131 traded stocks, 83 declined, 26 rose, and 22 remained unchanged. Most banking stocks faced heavy selling, though a few stocks recorded notable gains despite low trading volumes. Leading the winners was Petroleum, up 9.15 percent, followed by Cinema, National, Safat, and Ooredoo.
Sector-wise, 7 weighted indices fell, with healthcare down 3.34 percent and technology 1.53 percent, while 5 sectors rose, led by consumer goods and energy, both up 1.81 percent. The telecommunications sector remained stable.
The General Market Index lost 57.9 points (-0.65 percent) to close at 8,849 points, with 150.7 million shares traded across 11,941 transactions.
The Premier Market Index fell 67.28 points (-0.71 percent) to 9,431 points, with a trading value of 25.8 million dinars, while the Main Market Index declined 31.21 points (-0.38 percent) to 8,271 points, with a trading value of 16.2 million dinars.
As a result, market capitalization decreased by 347.3 million dinars to reach 52.84 billion, compared with 53.18 billion in the previous session.
Top traded stocks by value included — Baitak: 5.5 million dinars, closing at 805 fils; Asico: 2.8 million, at 353 fils; Commercial: 2.6 million, at 208 fils; GFH: 2.3 million, at 189 fils; National: 2.2 million, at 1.005 dinars
Stocks with the highest gains were — Petroleum: +9.15 percent; Cinema: +9 percent; Wataniya: +5.56 percent; Al Safat: +2.62 percent; Ooredoo: +2.48 percent;
The largest decliners were — Al-Deera: -8.98 percent; Al-Taqaddum: -8.12 percent; Osoul: -8 percent; Tahseelat: -6.33 percent; Noor: -6.14 percent
Overall, the KSE opened the year under pressure, with investors closely watching company results and sector trends for signals on market recovery.
