The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) closed 2025 on a strong note, with the General Index recording a 17.22% gain for the year, marking its fifth consecutive year of growth. The index has outperformed regional peers over the past three years, including Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul and Abu Dhabi’s ADX. In the final week of 2025, ending January 2, the DFM dipped slightly by 0.33%, closing around 6,114 points, as some heavyweight stocks underperformed.
“2025 was a solid year for UAE equities, with DFM leading the region in performance. The market continues to show resilience, supported by global equities momentum and strong domestic fundamentals,” said Vijay Valecha, Chief Investment Officer at Century Financial.
Among individual movers, Gulf Navigation Holding (-4.14%), Dubai Investments (-1.91%), and Emirates NBD Bank (-1.38%) pressured the market, while Emaar Development (+1.96%), Salik Co. (+1.10%), and Air Arabia (+1.06%) provided support. Sector-wise, Financials and Industrials lagged, while Real Estate and Consumer Discretionary posted moderate gains. Technical indicators suggest the index is retesting its December breakout, with 50- and 100-day SMA levels providing strong short-term support.
Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) General Index edged down 0.38% to 9,994.57 points for the week. Consumer Discretionary was the only sector to post gains (+1.4%), while Consumer Staples (-2.04%), Technology (-1.92%), and Healthcare (-1.86%) weighed on the index.
“ADX performance remains steady, trading just above the 50-Day SMA. Breaking through the 10,000–10,085 resistance zone will be crucial for a bullish start to 2026,” Vijay Valecha noted.
Key outperformers included National Bank of Fujairah (+7.37%), National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah (+5.66%), and Agility Global (+3.39%), while Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. (-4.53%) and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (-2.59%) lagged.
Notable corporate news came from ADNOC Drilling, which completed the acquisition of a 70% stake in SLDC Holdings, a joint venture with Schlumberger covering land-drilling rigs in Kuwait and Oman. Shares rose 1.12% shortly after the announcement.
With 2026 underway, investors are watching for key earnings releases, including Taaleem Holdings next week, and broader technical levels that could set the tone for UAE markets in the new year.
