Foreign and Institutional Investments in UAE Equities Surge in 2024

In a significant boost for the UAE equity markets, net foreign and institutional investments reached AED 25.6 billion in the first ten months of 2024.

This figure is primarily driven by substantial investments in the Abu Dhabi market, which accounted for AED 23 billion, while the Dubai market attracted AED 2.6 billion.

Official data from both the Abu Dhabi and Dubai markets indicates that foreign investors, encompassing both Arab and non-Arab entities, were net buyers with investments totaling AED 22.1 billion. They purchased shares worth AED 158.2 billion, compared to sales of AED 136.1 billion during the same period.

Breaking down the statistics, foreign investor purchases on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) totaled AED 118.7 billion, leading to net investments of AED 22.1 billion after sales of AED 97.8 billion. Meanwhile, the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) saw foreign purchases reach AED 39.5 billion against sales of AED 38.2 billion, yielding a net investment of AED 1.3 billion.

Additionally, institutional investors have also been active, collectively investing over AED 3.46 billion in local equities this year. Their total purchases amounted to AED 273.7 billion against sales of AED 270.3 billion. Specifically, institutions invested more than AED 2.18 billion in the ADX, with purchases of AED 231.8 billion and sales of AED 229.7 billion. On the DFM, they made net purchases of AED 1.27 billion, with total purchases of AED 41.9 billion compared to sales of AED 40.6 billion.

This robust activity in both markets highlights a growing confidence among foreign and institutional investors in the UAE's economic landscape.

News Source: Emirates News Agency