The Financial Services Authority (FSA) hosted an awareness workshop titled ‘Investment Basics – How to Make Your Investment Decision?’ The workshop brought together students, faculty and administrative staff of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences. This workshop comes as part of the Authority’s ongoing efforts to promote financial and investment literacy among various segments of society

It was held as part of the activities of World Investor Week 2025, an initiative promoted by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and marked annually across the globe during the second week of October.

The World Investor Week 2025 aims to raise individuals’ investment awareness and enhance their ability to make well-informed financial decisions. It also seeks to highlight investment risks and preventive measures, as well as to emphasize the importance of responsible and secure investing amid the rapid advancements in financial technologies and artificial intelligence.

These objectives align with the theme of World Investor Week 2025, promoted by IOSCO, which focuses on technology, digital finance, artificial intelligence and prevention of fraud and market manipulation. This reflects the FSA’s commitment to keeping pace with the global agenda of strengthening investor protection and equipping investors with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate technological developments in financial markets and address contemporary challenges in the modern investment environment.

The workshop introduced participants to the role and functions of capital markets in the economy, reviewed genuine investment opportunities and available financial instruments and provided an overview of the performance of the Muscat Stock Exchange over the past two years. It also addressed the concept of safe investing and how to distinguish between real opportunities and non-systemic risks, while highlighting key financial, technical, and economic analysis methods that help assess markets and make sound investment decisions.

The event also featured interactive activities and open discussions that offered participants practical insights into how to start investing, the challenges and risks new investors may face, and the dangers of dealing with unlicensed platforms and suspicious markets promoting misleading investment schemes.

Through such initiatives, the FSA reaffirms its commitment to enhancing investor protection and promoting financial and investment awareness, thereby contributing to the development of a financially literate generation capable of making responsible and informed investment decisions.