Profits of Omani Banks Rise 20%

Preliminary financial results recently announced by the listed banks on the Muscat Stock Exchange showed an increase in profits
Preliminary financial results recently announced by the listed banks on the Muscat Stock Exchange showed an increase in profits
TT

Profits of Omani Banks Rise 20%

Preliminary financial results recently announced by the listed banks on the Muscat Stock Exchange showed an increase in profits
Preliminary financial results recently announced by the listed banks on the Muscat Stock Exchange showed an increase in profits

Total net profits of Omani banks listed on the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) jumped by 20.6 percent to RO409mn in 2022 as compared to RO338.9mn profits reported in 2021.

Preliminary financial results recently announced by the listed banks on the Muscat Stock Exchange showed an increase in profits of all the banks, according to a Oman News Agency report.

The sharp rise in such profits reflects the state of recovery of the Omani economy from the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the government’s efforts to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on various economic activities.

The banks’ improved financial results also reflect the efforts made by banks to diversify their lending and financing portfolios and their contributions to financing projects implemented by the government and the private sector.

Bank Muscat posted the highest profit at RO200.7mn in 2022 compared to RO189.6mn in the previous year.



Black Friday Data Shows US Shoppers Spent $10.8 Bln Online

A woman and a child look at shops in a mall on Black Friday in Arlington, Virginia on November 29, 2024. (AFP)
A woman and a child look at shops in a mall on Black Friday in Arlington, Virginia on November 29, 2024. (AFP)
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Black Friday Data Shows US Shoppers Spent $10.8 Bln Online

A woman and a child look at shops in a mall on Black Friday in Arlington, Virginia on November 29, 2024. (AFP)
A woman and a child look at shops in a mall on Black Friday in Arlington, Virginia on November 29, 2024. (AFP)

US shoppers used their mobile phones, laptops, desktops and other devices to make roughly $10.8 billion in purchases online on Black Friday, an updated tally from Adobe Analytics showed.

Black Friday, the day after American Thanksgiving, marks the official start of the holiday shopping season for retailers and competition has intensified among retailers to win every penny-pinched shopper seeking discounts.

Increased online shopping potentially favors e-commerce giants such as Amazon.com and Walmart. Walmart, which operates 4,700 US stores, has invested heavily in store-to-home deliveries for the holiday season to boost e-commerce.

US spending online on Black Friday rose 10.2%, said Adobe, which keeps track of devices that use its software to help power more than 1 trillion visits to  US retail sites.

Corey Coscioni, 58, said he looked for bargains online as well as in stores on Black Friday, seeking "gifts for everyone: my wife, my daughter, and myself."

Top selling merchandise online included makeup, skincare and haircare products, as well as bluetooth speakers and espresso machines, Adobe said on Saturday.

Online sales of toys rose 622% compared to average daily sales in October, while jewelry sales rose 561% and appliances spiked 476% compared to October, it added.

Department store chains such as Macy's and Kohl's as well as big-box retailer Target could see muted sales this season, which is shorter with only 26 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

In 2023, US shoppers spent $9.8 billion online on Black Friday, and in 2022, they spent $9.1 billion, Adobe said.