Some three-fourths of gross fixed capital formation in manufacturing is directly or indirectly financed by the banking system. The trade and building sectors receive a disproportionate share of bank loans. Banks lend to the services, trade, and building sectors due to lack of major investment scope in other productive sectors. The oil sector is the province of the government and is beyond the reach of the banks. The farming sector is relatively small and is heavily subsidized.
Local banks invest in foreign stock markets to absorb excess liquidity.
There is no official domestic stock market. Share dealing is conducted through brokers by telephone. The number of joint stock companies and banks is approximately 80. The number of companies and banks whose shares are actively traded in the market does not surpass 35. There is no available data on the volume of shares traded.