Bahrain to reduce govt shares in listed firms

Bahrain aims to reduce government ownership in listed companies, the CEO of the Bahrain Bourse has said. The country aims to list more governmental companies to encourage the private sector to follow the lead.

At least two government firms are currently close to listing, including the Bahrain Airport Co., Khalifa Al-Khalifa added in an interview with Al Arabiya.

Bahrain’s bourse has also reached an agreement with Abu Dhabi to facilitate direct trading between the two markets.

It is also implementing a four-year strategy ending in 2026, to develop the financial market sector by listing more companies, including small and medium-size enterprises.

The heavily indebted Gulf state was bailed out with a $10 billion package in 2018 from wealthier Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE.