Dubai Financial Market posts H1 2026 profit before tax of AED 443.2m as trading value hits AED 119.5bn
Dubai Financial Market posts H1 2026 profit before tax of AED 443.2m amid a 40% rise in trading value to AED 119.5bn and daily turnover surpassing AED 1.004bn.
The Dubai Financial Market reported a consolidated profit before tax of AED 443.2 million for the six months ending June 30, 2026, driven by a sharp increase in trading activity across the exchange. Trading momentum lifted average daily turnover to AED 1.004 billion, while total traded value for the period rose 40.4% to AED 119.5 billion. The market said the performance reflects stronger investor participation, deeper liquidity and continued international interest.
Surge in trading volumes and turnover
The exchange recorded a 45.1% rise in average daily value of trades, reaching AED 1.004 billion, and a 35.4% increase in average daily number of deals to roughly 18,759. These gains supported a 40.4% year‑on‑year rise in total traded value for the first half of 2026. Market officials linked the uptick to higher retail and institutional engagement as well as improved market infrastructure.
Institutional investors accounted for 71.2% of total traded value, marginally up from 70.8% in H1 2025, underscoring continued dominance by large, professionally managed capital. Foreign participation remained significant, contributing 51% of trading activity during the period.
Revenue and one‑off impact from prior year
Consolidated revenues for H1 2026 were AED 557 million, below the AED 888.9 million reported in the same period last year. The decline in year‑on‑year revenue principally reflected a non‑recurring gain in H1 2025 from the sale of an investment property valued at AED 462.2 million. Excluding that exceptional item, the underlying operating performance shows resilience supported by rising transaction volumes.
Management emphasised that the revenue comparison is distorted by the prior year’s one‑off transaction and pointed to sustained fee and commission income tied to higher market activity.
Investor base expansion and international reach
The market added 42,864 new investors in the first six months of 2026, with international investors making up 71.4% of those entrants. This influx reinforced the exchange’s expanding retail base and global investor footprint. Ownership data showed foreign investors held 20.06% of total market capitalisation at the end of the period, a slight increase from 20.04% in H1 2025.
The composition of the investor base underlines Dubai’s role as a regional capital market hub and the effectiveness of measures to attract cross‑border liquidity.
Leadership comments and strategic priorities
Hilal Saeed Al Marri, chairman of Dubai Financial Market, said the strong trading momentum reflects robust investor participation and the growing depth of Dubai’s capital markets. He noted the market’s performance aligns with Dubai’s economic fundamentals, the expansion of its financial ecosystem and objectives set out in the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33). The chairman reiterated plans to continue developing transparent, liquid markets that are closely connected to global capital flows.
Hamid Ali, chief executive of Dubai Financial Market and Nasdaq Dubai, described H1 results as evidence of market depth and resilience. He highlighted the sustained liquidity levels, the diversification of the investor base and confidence from institutional and international investors in available investment opportunities.
Market structure and ownership concentration
Institutional ownership remained high at 86.5% of total market holdings, reflecting concentration among long‑term, professionally managed investors. The combined weight of institutional and foreign participation has shaped trading dynamics and supported large daily turnover figures. Market officials said this concentration has helped stabilise liquidity while enabling more consistent price discovery.
Analysts note that a blend of local institutional presence and international flows can enhance market efficiency but also places emphasis on ongoing policy and market‑structure improvements to accommodate larger volumes.
As Dubai Financial Market moves into the second half of 2026, management signalled continued focus on product development, technological upgrades and policies aimed at widening investor access. The exchange plans to build on the surge in trading activity while maintaining governance and transparency standards that attract global capital.
The H1 results demonstrate a market in expansion, with recordable increases in turnover, a growing international investor base and resilient operating performance after adjusting for one‑off items from the prior year. Expectations from market participants now centre on whether momentum will carry through the remainder of 2026 amid broader regional and global economic conditions.
