Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange

Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange's Trading Momentum Reflects Market Resilience and Strong Dividends

The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange continued to record strong levels of activity and liquidity during recent trading sessions, a clear indicator of the market's resilience, the depth of its investment base, the attractiveness of its dividends, and investor confidence.

The market recorded total trading volume of AED 4.8 billion during the first three trading sessions after resuming trading following the temporary precautionary suspension on March 2nd and 3rd, from March 4th to 6th, 2026.

The first trading session after the resumption of activity on March 4th, 2026, saw trading volume of AED 1.37 billion, a 12% increase compared to the 2025 average of AED 1.22 billion, excluding large transactions. Trading volume reached 496 million shares, compared to a daily average of 326 million shares last year, representing a 52% increase. The number of transactions reached approximately 25,400, a 13% increase compared to the 2025 average.

On March 5th, the market continued its upward momentum, with trading value reaching AED 1.93 billion, a 58% increase compared to last year's average. Trading volume reached 463 million shares, a 52% increase, and the number of transactions rose to 31,900, a 42% increase.

The trading session on Friday, March 6, maintained its momentum, with a turnover of AED 1.55 billion across approximately 364 million shares. The number of transactions reached 29,400, representing a 31% increase compared to last year's average.

Institutional investors led trading activity during this period, accounting for approximately 76% of total trades, compared to 24% for individual investors. Foreign investors comprised 45% of trades, while Emirati investors accounted for 55%, reflecting a strong presence of investment institutions and long-term investor confidence in the market.

This robust activity continued into the start of the week's trading sessions. On Monday, March 9, trading reached approximately AED 1.2 billion, with a volume of 284 million shares traded through 24,400 transactions. Institutional investors accounted for approximately 80% of total trades, while foreign investors accounted for 53%.

On Tuesday, March 10, the market reached record levels when comparing trading value and the number of transactions to the highest levels recorded during 2025 and 2026 (excluding large transactions and index rebalancing days). A total of 58,100 transactions were executed, compared to 44,100 on June 24, 2025, representing a 32% increase.

The session also saw trading valued at AED 3.45 billion, compared to the previous highest daily trading value of AED 2.32 billion on June 30, 2025, marking a 49% increase.

Wednesday's session, March 11, saw trading worth AED 1.7 billion on 331 million shares executed through 36,500 transactions, representing a 62.4% increase compared to the average number of transactions in 2025.

This activity coincides with the start of the dividend season, with 17 entities (listed companies and exchange-traded funds) announcing dividends totaling nearly AED 16 billion since the beginning of the year, further enhancing the market's attractiveness to investors.