UAE bourses outperform GCC peers in H1 net foreign inflows

16/07/2025 01:33 AST

Foreign investors ramped up their participation in Gulf stock markets in the second quarter of 2025, with the UAE emerging as one of the most attractive destinations.

According to Kamco Invest, net foreign inflows into UAE bourses reached $1.33 billion in Abu Dhabi and $462 million in Dubai, reinforcing investor confidence in the country's resilient macroeconomic fundamentals and regulatory environment.

Across the GCC, foreign investors were net buyers for the sixth consecutive quarter, recording net purchases worth $4.2 billion in Q2-2025, up from $2.8 billion in Q1-2025. Cumulatively, in the first half of 2025, net foreign buying in GCC markets stood at $7.0 billion - an impressive 39.8 per cent increase year-on-year from $5.0 billion in H1-2024.

The UAE outperformed the region in terms of foreign inflows during the first six months, attracting a total of $4.5 billion, followed by Saudi Arabia ($1.6 billion) and Kuwait ($1.4 billion). The consistent inflow of foreign capital into UAE markets reflects the country's deepening capital market sophistication, IPO momentum, and economic diversification strategies - particularly in the non-oil sectors.

Abu Dhabi, in particular, remained a magnet for cross-border capital, driven by strategic listings, economic stability, and expanding regional influence through sovereign funds. The emirate also recorded the highest net buying by GCC investors at $48.4 million in Q2, followed by Dubai at $23 million, underlining intra-regional investor interest.

In contrast, Oman and Bahrain saw persistent outflows. Oman recorded net foreign sales of $29.6 million in Q2-2025 after a sharper outflow of $459.2 million in the previous quarter. Bahrain also posted net foreign selling of $27.9 million. Collectively, foreign investors remained net sellers in Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain in the first half of 2025, to the tune of $580.7 million - partially offsetting broader regional buying.

The buoyancy in UAE equity markets comes despite mixed global signals, including uncertainty around US trade policy. Investors are closely watching the impact of new tariffs announced by the U.S. government, including a 30 per cent duty on imports from Mexico and the European Union and a 35 per cent tariff on Canadian goods, all taking effect on August 1, 2025.

Yet, despite such external pressures, five of the seven GCC exchanges posted gains in Q2-2025, underscoring selective investor optimism. The UAE's performance was further bolstered by robust trading volumes. Dubai's volume surged by 21 per cent to 16.3 billion shares in Q2 from 13.4 billion in Q1. Abu Dhabi also saw value traded rise to $22.5 billion in Q2, up from $20.3 billion in Q1, increasing its share of total GCC market activity to 14.9 per cent.

Overall trading volume across GCC exchanges climbed 9.1 per cent year-on-year to 94.73 billion shares in Q2-2025, with Qatar leading the way with a 39.4 per cent quarterly increase. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, however, saw declines of 5 per cent and 61.5 per cent, respectively.

Despite this, Saudi Arabia remained dominant in terms of individual stock activity. Six Saudi-listed companies were among the top 10 most traded stocks in the GCC, led by Al-Rajhi Bank ($5.8 billion), Saudi Aramco ($5.1 billion), and International Holdings Co. ($4.0 billion). Other notable names included Adnoc Gas, Emaar Properties, and Kuwait Finance House.

Foreign investor interest in the Saudi market remains high, though Q2 saw a moderation in inflows. Foreign purchases totalled 7.3 billion Saudi riyals in H1-2025, down 37 per cent from 11.5 billion riyals in the same period last year. Local institutional investors in Saudi Arabia were net sellers in Q2, offloading 13.3 billion riyals worth of shares, offset somewhat by retail investors who were net buyers of 8.2 billion riyals.

GCC investors (excluding Bahrain) recorded net sell trades worth $50.5 million in Q2-2025, a significant drop from $482.3 million in Q1. Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman reported net sales, while the UAE and Saudi Arabia saw marginal net buys by GCC investors.

Total value traded across GCC markets declined slightly to $151.8 billion in Q2-2025 from $157.5 billion in Q1. Despite the overall dip, market depth and foreign participation - particularly in the UAE - remained strong, bolstered by continued IPO activity, investor-friendly reforms, and sectoral diversification.

Khaleej Times