UAE Markets End Challenging Week on a Positive Note

Dubai: Despite global market volatility, the UAE’s stock exchanges — the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) — are set to close the week on a high, recording notable gains across key sectors.

As of 2 PM Friday, the DFM General Index posted a gain of over 1%, led by strong performances from Union Properties, which surged more than 7%, and Emaar’s listed entities. Major banking stocks also trended positively, contributing to the upbeat sentiment.

Over at ADX, the broader index climbed by more than 1%, driven by a 5.4% gain in ADNOC Logistics & Services and a 1.54% rise in ADNOC Gas. These movements defied earlier expectations of a subdued session, given ongoing geopolitical tensions involving Israel and Iran, which appeared to have minimal impact on investor confidence.

The UAE markets mirrored the broader trend across Asia, where indices such as India’s Sensex rose 0.99% (adding nearly 800 points) and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 1.26%. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul also edged up on Thursday, although flynas — the newly listed airline — closed below its IPO price at SR77.4.

With the first half of 2025 nearing its end, GCC markets, particularly those in the UAE, have shown resilience amid global economic and geopolitical headwinds. According to HSBC, IPO proceeds in the Gulf rose by 33% in Q1 2025 compared to the same period last year, bucking a global decline in listings.

Nabeel Albloushi, Head of Markets & Securities Services for MENA & Turkey at HSBC Middle East, noted, “The UAE continues to offer one of the most compelling growth narratives. Since mid-2021, the share of global emerging market funds with UAE exposure has nearly doubled from 35% to 65%.”

He added that the diversity of sectors tapping into the capital markets — from logistics and retail to renewables — reflects growing investor confidence and aligns with the portfolio diversification goals of global institutional investors.