Kuwait Top Investment Companies | 5 Largest Holdings and Investors

According to Capital Standards, “There are a total of 100 investment companies operating in Kuwait with 54 operating within the confines of the Islamic Sharia provisions and the rest operating as conventional investment companies.” Some of these companies are listed as well under asset management companies, investment banks and investment holding companies. Here is the structure of Kuwait Banking system. The sector has been hit hard by the financial crisis and non-interventionist policy by the government. The investment companies face many challenges. The sector will continue to restructure the depts and deleverage. For the complete list of investment companies click here.

Note: In accordance with Law No. 7 of the year 2010 concerning the establishment of the Capital Markets Authority and the Regulation of Securities’ Activity and Ministerial Decision No. 38 of the year 2011 regarding the organization of the Central Bank of Kuwait’s (CBK) supervision of finance companies, the regulation of investment companies has shifted from CBK to the Capital Markets Authority as of 13th September 2011. Therefore, CBK’s role toward these companies is now confined to the supervision of their practiced financial activity.

Top Investment Companies in Kuwait

Kipco Asset Management Company (KAMCO)
National Investments Company
Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz)
Global Investment House
Kuwait Investment Company
Commercial Facilities Company
International Financial Advisors Company
Gulf Investment Corporation
Arab Investment Company
Tijari Investment Company
Kuwait China Investment Company
 Noor Financial Investment Company
National Industries Group Holding hold 50% of Noor investment company. 
Assets: USD 950 million
 Bayan Investment Company
 Tamdeen Investment Company
 Wafra International Investment Company
 Wafra Investment Advisory Group
Mohamad W. Khouja | Chairman  
Founded in 1985, Wafra is an investment management company offering an extensive range of investment services including portfolio securities management, direct equity, real estate and other structured products management. Wafra also manages a series of alternative investment products and has a private asset management division. Wafra manages the assets of Kuwait’s Public Institution for Social Security.
Assets under management: USD 10 billion.  

Top Financial Markets  Institutions in  Kuwait

Kuwait Stock Exchange
The Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) is the national stock market of The State of Kuwait. Although several share holding companies (such as NBK in 1952) existed in Kuwait prior to the creation of the KSE, it was not until October 1962 that a law was passed to organize the country’s stock market.

According to KAMCO research latest report, market capitalization amounted to KWD 29 bn  (US$104 bn) down from KWD 36 bn (US$ 130,6 bn) in 2010. Kuwait Stock Exchange lists 215 companies spanning across 10 sectors. The largest sectors by company composition are the services and investment, with 61 and 52 companies respectively, followed by the real estate and industries, each comprising of 18.0% and 13.0% of the total number of listed companies and by value the list is topped by services, followed by banking and food related companies.

Kuwait Capital Market Authority
Parliament approved a bill to create the CMA, the country’s first stock-market regulator, in February 2010.  CMA regulations should  transform into forceful laws, adding much needed transparency and trust to Kuwait’s financial system. Often the companies listed on the KSE have are implicated in a convoluted, opaque ownership schemes and many argue that there has been many cases of insider trading and tunneling of the listed companies.