UAE stock market liquidity hits AED 326.16bn in first seven months as ADX leads turnover
UAE stock market liquidity reached AED 326.16 billion in the first seven months of 2026, driven by strong activity on Abu Dhabi Exchange and heavy trading in Dubai real estate.
Market liquidity and trading activity
In the first seven months of 2026, UAE stock market liquidity totaled AED 326.16 billion, split between AED 131.85 billion on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and AED 194.31 billion on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). Trading volumes amounted to 92.16 billion shares executed across 6.27 million transactions, underscoring heightened investor activity across both bourses. These figures reflect concentrated liquidity flows into select sectors and heightened participation during the January–July period.
Market capitalisation and index levels
The combined market capitalisation of listed equities on the two exchanges stood near AED 3.85 trillion at the close of July 2026. DFM-listed stocks accounted for about AED 960.37 billion of that total, while ADX-listed equities represented AED 2.889 trillion. At the end of the last trading session in July, the DFM index closed at 5,795.93 points and the ADX index at 9,914.62 points, marking modest gains for both exchanges in the month’s final session.
Real estate dominance on Dubai Financial Market
Real estate shares dominated turnover on the Dubai Financial Market, comprising 45.52 percent of total trading value and amounting to AED 60.01 billion. Emaar Properties led that segment with trades totaling AED 47.83 billion, making it by far the single most traded stock in Dubai during the period. The concentration of activity in property stocks highlights investors’ continued focus on the UAE’s recovery narrative and real estate-linked corporate earnings.
Banking and industrial sector flows
The banking sector ranked second in value traded, with AED 27.58 billion changing hands across listed lenders, reflecting selective interest in financial names amid rate and liquidity considerations. The industrial sector followed with approximately AED 20.7 billion in trading value, driven by company-specific catalysts and renewed attention to non-oil growth stories. Together, these sectors accounted for a substantial portion of turnover outside of the real estate concentration on DFM.
Emirati investor behaviour in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Domestic investors recorded net buying in both markets over the January–July window. Emirati investors were net purchasers on the Dubai Financial Market to the tune of AED 4.96 billion, with total purchases of AED 66.88 billion against AED 61.92 billion in sales. On the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, nationals also posted net buying of AED 1.41 billion, having purchased AED 101.81 billion and sold AED 100.40 billion during the same period. The figures indicate a domestic investor preference for accumulation in selected blue-chips across both exchanges.
July session closings and market value changes
On the final trading day of July, the Dubai Financial Market rose 0.1 percent to close at 5,795.93 points, supported by gains in banking, utilities and consumer staples stocks, which added AED 271.62 million to DFM’s market value. The Abu Dhabi index advanced 0.362 percent, or 35.8 points, to finish at 9,914.62 points, delivering a market-value increase of AED 5.97 billion for the ADX-listed universe. These end-of-month moves capped a period of concentrated liquidity and sectoral rotation across the two exchanges.
Looking ahead, UAE stock market liquidity in the first seven months of 2026 suggests continued investor focus on a narrow set of high-liquidity names and sectors, particularly real estate and select financials. Market participants will likely monitor macroeconomic signals, corporate earnings, and policy developments for cues on whether the current concentration of turnover broadens into other segments through the remainder of the year.