logo
UAE markets make gains despite geopolitical tensions

UAE markets make gains despite geopolitical tensions

Al Etihad2 days ago

23 June 2025 18:05
A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)The UAE stock markets made surprising gains on the first day of trading after the US attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities. The rising geopolitical tensions and the threat to close the Strait of Hormuz did not have any dampening effect on the UAE markets.The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) made gains after several days of flat trading, with its general index (FADGI) rising by 0.464% to close at 9,557.58. A total of 19,289 trades were executed, involving 240 million shares with a combined value of Dh840 million. The total market capitalisation of all companies listed on the ADX stood at Dh2.984 trillion.Abu Dhabi National Energy (TAQA) led the rally with a 2.6% gain, followed by Aldar with a nearly 1.9% rise, and Multiply Group with a 1.4% increase. Other top gainers on the ADX included E7 Warrants (+14.29%), Al Khaleej Investment (+11.90%), and Union Insurance (+8.33%). Notable decliners were Gulf Medical Projects (-4.33%), Sharjah Cement (-2.96%), and Pure Health (-2.41%).
DFM The Dubai Financial Market's general index (DFMGI) rose by a fairly big 1.116% to close at 5,411.3. A total of 15,087 trades were executed on the DFM, involving 445 million shares with a combined value of Dh787 million. Share prices of 31 companies rose, 13 declined, and nine remained unchanged.
Union Properties led the rally with a 4.69% rise in share price, followed by Deyaar (4.17%) and Emaar Properties (2.8%). Among the other top gainers on Monday were Ekttitab Holding (+9.58%), National Cements (+11.11%), and Ithmaar Holding (+6.70%). On the losing side, Agility fell by 9%, followed by Dubai National Insurance and Reinsurance (-8.66%), Emirates Investment Bank (-6.67%), and Al Ramz Capital (-4.17%).

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

UAE stock markets see big surge after ceasefire news
UAE stock markets see big surge after ceasefire news

Al Etihad

timea day ago

  • Al Etihad

UAE stock markets see big surge after ceasefire news

24 June 2025 15:40 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)Mojo returned to the UAE stock markets on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump declared a ceasefire between Iran and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange's general index (FADGI) surged by a substantial 2.487% to close at 9,795.30, lifting the market capitalisation to Dh3.047 trillion. This marks one of the largest single-day gains in the index in recent rally on the ADX was led by Aldar, which jumped 10%, followed by Multiply Group with a 6.5% rise, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank with 6.3%, and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank with 5.9%.The Dubai Financial Market also posted strong gains, with its main index (DFMGI) rising by 3.36% to reach 5,593.01 — its biggest intraday gain since mid-December. DFM's rally was primarily driven by a more than 5% surge in the share prices of blue chips such as Emaar, Salik, and Emirates NBD. Dubai Islamic Bank also advanced by 4%, contributing to the overall uptick.

Al Mal Capital REIT launches follow-on offering to raise Dh242 million
Al Mal Capital REIT launches follow-on offering to raise Dh242 million

Al Etihad

timea day ago

  • Al Etihad

Al Mal Capital REIT launches follow-on offering to raise Dh242 million

24 June 2025 13:50 REDDY (ABU DHABI)Al Mal Capital REIT, the first real estate investment trust (REIT) listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), has launched a follow-on public offering (FPO) to raise up to Dh242 million in new capital. The fundraising will support the acquisition of additional income-generating assets across healthcare, education, and mission-critical industrial sectors. The FPO follows the remarkable success of the Dubai Residential REIT's recent IPO, which raised Dh1.245 billion after being oversubscribed 26 offering opens on July 7 and closes on July 25, with trading of the new units expected to begin on August 8, subject to regulatory approvals. The new units are priced at Dh1.10 each, including a nominal value of Dh1.00, a Dh0.10 issuance premium, and a Dh0.025 subscription fee, including VAT. The cost for investors works out to Dh1.125 per unit. The FPO will issue up to 220 million new units, raising the fund's issued capital from Dh513.9 million to Dh733.9 million. Existing unitholders on record as of 26 June 2025 will receive a priority allocation equal to approximately 39% of their current holdings to ensure their shareholding is not diluted. A secondary allocation will provide a minimum guaranteed allotment of up to 2,000 units to eligible new on the offering, Naser Al Nabulsi, Vice Chairman and CEO of Al Mal Capital, said, 'There is a growing investor appetite for regional REITs as shown by recent offerings on the DFM that saw record-breaking retail participation, especially in the UAE. We are therefore pleased that we can offer more investors a chance to access Al Mal Capital REIT, which continues to deliver strong and consistent dividends.'Al Mal Capital REIT has reported a stable performance since 2023, distributing an annual return of around 7%. To underscore this track record, the REIT announced an interim dividend of Dh0.0375 per unit for the first half of 2025, reflecting a 7.5% annualised yield. Only investors holding units as of June 26 will be eligible to receive this of May 31, 2025, the fund's net asset value (NAV) stood at Dh577 million, with a NAV per unit of Dh1.1229. The REIT maintains a 100% occupancy rate across its real estate portfolio. Al Mal Capital REIT is managed by Al Mal Capital, a subsidiary of Dubai Investments. Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), an arm of the Government of Dubai, is the majority shareholder in Dubai Investments. The FPO is open to retail and institutional investors from the UAE and across the GCC. Interested investors can subscribe through First Abu Dhabi Bank branches, online banking (for FAB clients), or by submitting a manager's cheque payable to 'Al Mal Capital REIT – FPO.' The minimum subscription is 2,000 units, equivalent to a total investment of Dh2,250 including fees. Investors in the new units will be entitled to the same rights as existing unitholders, including eligibility for future dividend distributions.

Fitch affirms Abu Dhabi's ‘AA' credit rating, citing strong buffers and fiscal resilience
Fitch affirms Abu Dhabi's ‘AA' credit rating, citing strong buffers and fiscal resilience

Al Etihad

timea day ago

  • Al Etihad

Fitch affirms Abu Dhabi's ‘AA' credit rating, citing strong buffers and fiscal resilience

24 June 2025 12:07 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)Fitch Ratings has affirmed Abu Dhabi's Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'AA' with a Stable Outlook, reflecting the emirate's exceptional fiscal and external strength despite elevated geopolitical tensions in the region. The agency said Abu Dhabi's sovereign rating is supported by its high GDP per capita, low government debt, and significant sovereign net foreign rating assesses Abu Dhabi's ability and willingness to repay its foreign-currency-denominated debt over the long term. The 'AA' rating is the second-highest rating category, just below 'AAA', indicating very high credit quality and very low risk of default. The Stable Outlook implies that Fitch does not expect a change to Abu Dhabi's rating in the next 12 to 24 its latest assessment released on Monday, Fitch noted that Abu Dhabi's large fiscal and external buffers position it well to absorb short-term disruptions, including those potentially arising from current military conflicts involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. Fitch assumed that the conflict will not expand beyond the principal actors or persist beyond a few projects that Abu Dhabi will record a fiscal surplus of 7% of GDP in 2025, down from 9.9% in 2024, with the decline attributed to lower oil prices and increased, though still modest, spending. The forecast assumes a Brent oil price of $65 per barrel and production of 3.2 million barrels per day. The surplus is expected to widen again to 8% in 2026 as oil production rises and corporate tax revenues begin to flow in. Excluding investment income, the surplus is estimated at 3.1% in 2025 and 4.3% in Dhabi's fiscal breakeven oil price remains low at $42.6 per barrel (or $54.3 excluding investment income), which underscores the resilience of its public finances. Fitch highlighted the emirate's policy flexibility, including the ability to adjust spending or increase dividends from ADNOC operations. Public spending remains contained, with expenditure in 2024 still below 2019 levels, and significant spare oil capacity can be deployed if required.A key strength of the emirate's credit profile is its exceptional balance sheet. Fitch estimates sovereign net foreign assets at 255% of GDP at end-2024 — the highest among its rated peers. Surpluses from 2024 were channelled to strategic government-related entities such as ADQ and Mubadala, and similar allocations are anticipated in the coming years. Some funds are also expected to support MGX, an AI investment venture co-owned by Mubadala and debt remains low at 17.4% of GDP at end-2024 and is forecast to edge up slightly to 18.2% in 2026. This modest increase is attributed to local currency issuance aimed at deepening the domestic debt market, supported by high liquidity in the banking sector. Fitch also expects continued borrowing by government-related entities (GREs) to fund development projects, but notes that GRE asset sales and the reallocation of fiscal surpluses will limit any excessive rise in Abu Dhabi's GRE debt was estimated at 48.3% of GDP in 2023, Fitch considers these contingent liabilities to be manageable, given the emirate's ample buffers, the profitability of GREs, and robust non-oil growth outlooks. GREs are expected to gradually increase borrowing to support the expansion of the non-hydrocarbon economy through projects including AI data centres, petrochemical facilities, and tourism GDP growth in 2024 was 3.8% but non-oil growth was a strong 6.2%. With production quotas expected to unwind, Fitch forecasts headline growth to reach 6.3% in 2025 and 4% in 2026. Non-oil growth is anticipated to remain robust, driven by major GRE-led investments and a growing assigns Abu Dhabi an ESG Relevance Score of '5[+]' for Political Stability and Rights, Rule of Law, Institutional Quality, and Control of Corruption. These high scores reflect the emirate's strong record of domestic political stability, effective governance, and low levels of corruption, as captured in the World Bank's Governance Indicators. The Country Ceiling for Abu Dhabi remains at 'AA+', two notches above the UAE's Long-Term IDR of 'AA-'. Fitch justifies this ceiling on the basis of strong financial buffers, a low risk of capital controls, and efforts to build a UAE dirham yield curve to reduce deposit dollarisation.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store