Arab Capital Markets Record $825 Billion in Nine-month Trading, Up 18%
Trading value across Arab capital markets reached around $825 billion during the first nine months of 2026, up 18 percent year-on-year, while their combined market capitalisation stood at approximately $4.3 trillion at the end of September, reflecting continued market activity and resilience amid regional volatility this year.
Dr. Fadi Kanso, Secretary General of the Arab Federation of Capital Markets (AFCM), stated during the AFCM Annual Conference – Abu Dhabi 2026 that trading value increased from around $700 billion in the first nine months of 2025 to approximately $825 billion during the same period this year.
In his opening remarks, Kanso noted that trading volumes rose significantly to 1.5 trillion shares, while the number of transactions reached 135 million during the first nine months, an increase of around 10 percent year-on-year.
He highlighted that Arab capital markets demonstrated in 2026 their ability to continue operating, absorb shocks, and resume their fundamental role in financing economies and driving investment despite geopolitical volatility and uncertainty across the region.
Kanso explained that markets pass through three main phases: a positive start, a period of shock and risk repricing, and then a phase of relative stability and cautious recovery. He emphasized that markets are measured during stable periods by their size and liquidity, but during crises by their efficiency in operating.
He observed that markets subsequently regained balance, although the recovery pace varied due to continuing geopolitical developments, oil price volatility, and uncertainty surrounding global interest rates.
Kanso concluded that 2026 had shown that Arab capital markets have become an integral part of Arab economies' capacity to absorb shocks, distribute risk, and restore growth.
Ghannam Butti Almazrouei, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange Group, noted that global market trends are increasingly directing investors towards markets that offer growth, stability, and resilience.
He stated that liquidity is no longer the sole measure of market strength; instead, resilience and the ability to adapt to changing conditions are becoming key pillars of sustainable growth and investor confidence.
Almazrouei added that aggregate profits of ADX-listed companies rose 38 percent during the first half of 2026, while dividend distributions amounted to around $14 billion, alongside continued strong participation by foreign investors.