Dubai Leads GCC Equity Rally in July with 7.9% Surge, Outpacing Regional Peers

DFM General Index posts strongest performance in the Gulf, driven by gains in financials, real estate, and industrials; Abu Dhabi and other GCC markets follow with solid growth amid Q2 earnings optimism.

Dubai, UAE – August 2025 — Dubai continued to assert its leadership in regional equity performance, recording the highest monthly gain among GCC stock markets in July, according to Kamco Invest’s GCC Markets Monthly Report. The DFM General Index rose 7.9% to close at 6,159.2 points, marking its fourth consecutive monthly advance and pushing its year-to-date (YTD) return to 19.4%—the best in the region for 2025.

The rally was underpinned by a robust performance across key sectors, particularly Financials (+12.1%), Real Estate (+11.7%), and Industrials (+6.9%). Major gains were seen in banking stocks, with Commercial Bank of Dubai surging 20.1% and Emirates NBD advancing 17.3%, reflecting strong investor confidence and improved fundamentals.

Despite broad-based sector gains, the Consumer Discretionary Index fell 4.2%, the steepest sectoral decline during the month.

Standout Performers and Trading Trends

According to Bloomberg’s monthly data, Ekttitab Holding Company emerged as July’s top gainer, soaring 43.2%, followed by United Foods Co (+21.5%) and Commercial Bank of Dubai (+20.1%). On the other end, International Financial Advisors led the decliners with a 9.2% drop, followed by National General Insurance (-8.1%) and Dubai Refreshments Company (-7.6%).

Investor activity also accelerated notably. Total share volume increased by 7.4% to reach 7.5 billion shares, while traded value rose 10.7% to AED 16.7 billion.

• Union Properties led in trading volume with 1.2 billion shares exchanged,
• Followed by Drake & Skull International (836.3 million) and Deyaar Development (669.7 million).
• In terms of value, Emaar Properties topped with AED 3.6 billion in trades, trailed by Dubai Islamic Bank (AED 1.5 billion) and Emirates NBD (AED 1.2 billion).

Abu Dhabi Maintains Steady Momentum

The FTSE ADX Index in Abu Dhabi extended its growth streak for the fourth consecutive month, increasing 4.1% in July following a 2.8% gain in June. The index closed at 10,370.66 points, with a YTD gain of 10.1%.

Seven out of ten sectors saw gains, led by:

• Health Care (+11.0%), with PureHealth climbing 11.9%;
• Real Estate (+7.0%), driven by a 20.2% surge in Al Khaleej Investment Co.
• Conversely, the Utilities Index declined 4.6%, marking the weakest sector performance in Abu Dhabi.

Regional Overview: GCC Markets in Growth Mode

Across the broader GCC, market sentiment remained positive, fueled by improving Q2 earnings and resilient economic indicators. The MSCI GCC Index rose 2.2% in July—its second straight monthly increase—reflecting a regional upswing.

Most GCC exchanges contributed to the momentum, although Saudi Arabia and Bahrain recorded YTD declines of 9.3% and 1.5%, respectively. In contrast, the UAE markets continue to drive regional gains, underpinned by strong corporate performance and robust investor activity.

Dubai’s standout equity rally in July affirms its growing influence as a financial powerhouse in the region. As GCC markets ride the wave of positive earnings sentiment and sectoral strength, Dubai remains at the forefront—setting the pace for sustained economic and market momentum.