Ramadan trading opens strong as blue chips lift Boursa amid mixed performance
The Boursa Kuwait began the first trading session of the holy month of Ramadan with mixed performance across its indices, as buying activity focused on leading stocks while mid- and small-cap shares faced profit-taking pressure.
Trading value during the opening session reached 69.6 million dinars, marking the second-highest liquidity level recorded on the first trading day of Ramadan over the past decade, compared with 90.6 million dinars during the same session last year.
Data compiled by Al-Anba newspaper shows a clear long-term upward trend in Ramadan opening-session liquidity, rising from just 7.2 million dinars in 2016 to record levels in recent years.
Market activity was largely driven by blue-chip shares, with the Premier Market capturing 58.7 million dinars, representing about 84 percent of total liquidity, reflecting strong institutional demand.
Among the most actively traded stocks, Kuwait Finance House led with transactions worth 10.4 million dinars, followed by Zain at 6.9 million dinars, National Bank of Kuwait at 6.6 million dinars, International Bank of Kuwait at 4.7 million dinars, and Mabanee with 3.6 million dinars in traded value.
Meanwhile, the Main Market recorded trading worth 10.9 million dinars, as investors moved to lock in profits after recent gains in smaller-cap stocks.
Supported by sustained buying in leading shares, total market capitalization continued its upward trajectory, increasing by 0.5 percent, equivalent to 265 million dinars, to reach 52.2 billion dinars, compared with 51.9 billion dinars in the previous session.
Trading volumes also posted growth, rising 6 percent to 169 million shares, up from 160 million shares in the final session before Ramadan.
Performance across market indices reflected the divergence between large and smaller stocks. The Premier Market Index advanced 0.71 percent, gaining 65.9 points to close at 9,344 points, supported by strong demand for heavyweight shares.
In contrast, the Main Market Index declined 0.55 percent, shedding 44.6 points to settle at 8,038 points, weighed down by profit-taking activity. The General Market Index rose 0.51 percent, adding 44.4 points to reach 8,741 points.
Liquidity gradually increased through 2020 and 2021, accelerated strongly between 2022 and 2025, and reached a historic peak of 90.6 million dinars in 2025 before easing slightly this year while remaining among the highest levels on record.
The strong start to Ramadan trading highlights continued investor confidence in leading Kuwaiti equities, even as selective profit-taking persists in smaller segments of the market.
