UAE market performance for the week and expectations
Shares trading in the United Arab Emirates ended this week mixed, after renewed hopes of a potential agreement between the US and Iran to resume energy flows eased oil prices. This followed a media report that stated that the US and Iran are discussing a phased deal that includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the US naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Further, the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange joined the SWIFT network to enable secure financial messaging with market participants, improve cross-border interactions, and bolster connectivity with the global financial ecosystem.
Recently, locally listed companies across the U.A.E. distributed AED 30.40bn ($8.28bn) in cash dividends during the first half of 2026. This 28% y/y surge was driven by aggressive payouts in the energy and real estate sectors. The record distribution continues a five-year upward trajectory for U.A.E. interim dividends, which have nearly doubled from the AED 16.13bn recorded during the same period in 2022. ADNOC Gas dominated absolute distribution volumes with an AED 6.91 billion payout, followed closely by Emaar Properties, which injected AED 4.40bn into the market.
The DFM General Index ended the week 0.39% higher, while the FTSE ADX General Index was down 0.69%. Overall, the upcoming week is expected to be bullish for the UAE markets due to the positive news related to the war.
DFMGI (DFM General Index):
The DFM General Index rose 0.39% for the week ending 25th September 2026 and closed at AED 5,980.
Companies that contributed positively to the index were Salik (4.6%) and CBD (4%). Companies that pushed the index down were Emaar Development (2.5%) and Dubai Investments (1.5%) (Source: Bloomberg).
The Financial sector was the best-performing sector for the week and was up 1.7%. The worst performing sectors were Consumer Staples and Consumer Discretionary, both down around 5% and 2.8%, respectively (Source: DFM Report Center)
As of late September, Real estate equities provided the highest cash returns at 4.1% on the DFM index. This pushed the exchange’s aggregate cash return to 2.9%.
On the daily chart, the index closed above the 9 and 21 SMA level. RSI is near 54 indicating that bullish momentum is building for the week ahead. Immediate support is at the AED 5,900 level which coincides with the 200 EMA on daily. On the upside, next target level is AED 6,050, followed by AED 6,100.
FTSE ADX General Index (ADX):
The ADX General Index (FADGI) ended the week at AED 10,200.73, down about 0.70%, holding above the AED 10,000 level in similarly subdued trade.
By sector, healthcare led at +6.07%, followed by basic materials at +2.39% and real estate at +1.82%. The laggards were consumer staples, financials and consumer discretionary at -1.44%, 1.24% and 1.19%, respectively. Among individual stocks, Pure Health Holdings led the index, rising about 7.46%, followed by ADCB and MODON Holdings at 4.12% and 2.48%. On the flip side, the laggards were International Holdings, ADNOC Logistics & Services and Two Point Zero Group, declining about 3.62%, 2.17% and 0.88%, respectively.
From a technical standpoint, the index has bounced after testing the breakout retest of the resistance at the AED 10,110 price mark, supporting a bullish stance in the week ahead. Furthermore, it has printed a hammer candle at support, adding strength to the bullish move. The 9- and 21-day EMAs are at AED 10,184.04 and AED 10,126.34, respectively.
