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Investors double down on UAE resilience as stocks jump amid ceasefire hopes
Market sentiment improved after reports that Washington had submitted a 15-point proposal to Tehran aimed at ending the conflict and Trump said negotiations were making progress
- PUBLISHED: Wed 25 Mar 2026, 5:04 PM
Gulf stock markets rallied on Wednesday, led by Dubai’s benchmark index, as growing optimism over a possible ceasefire between Iran and Israel boosted investor confidence and reinforced the UAE’s reputation as a regional safe haven for capital and business continuity.
Dubai’s main share index surged 3.6 per cent, with blue-chip developer Emaar Properties jumping 5.5 per cent and banking heavyweight Emirates NBD advancing 4.8 per cent, reflecting renewed risk appetite across property and financial stocks.
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In Abu Dhabi, the benchmark index rose 1.9 per cent, supported by a 4.4 per cent gain in Aldar Properties, while Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index climbed 0.7 per cent. Qatar’s Qatar Stock Exchange Index also gained 0.9 per cent, led by Qatar Islamic Bank.
Market sentiment improved after reports that Washington had submitted a 15-point proposal to Tehran aimed at ending the conflict. US President Donald Trump said negotiations were making progress, while regional media indicated that a temporary ceasefire could provide space for further talks.
Oil prices fell nearly 4 per cent on expectations that a diplomatic breakthrough could ease supply risks, further supporting regional equities and reinforcing confidence in Gulf economic stability.
At the same time, shipping data showed Saudi Arabia had increased crude exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu to nearly 4 million barrels per day, highlighting Saudi Aramco’s ability to reroute supplies through the East-West pipeline and bypass disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz — another factor helping calm markets.
Beyond short-term sentiment, investor behaviour on the ground is sending a stronger signal about the UAE’s structural resilience.
According to proprietary data from advisory firm GCG Structuring, none of its more than 200 active global investor and business-owner clients have exited the UAE despite regional tensions. Instead, many are accelerating expansion plans and bringing forward investment timelines.
“The retention metric is only part of the story. What is important is who didn’t leave,” said Peter Ivantsov, founder and managing partner of the firm. “These are sophisticated global investors with many options. Their continued presence in the UAE reflects long-term strategic commitment rather than short-term Analysts say this behaviour underscores the UAE’s growing reputation as a jurisdiction defined by regulatory stability, contract enforcement and institutional reliability — factors that increasingly shape global capital allocation decisions.
Operational resilience has also remained evident across sectors. Financial institutions quickly restored services following a recent global cloud disruption, demonstrating the flexibility of the country’s infrastructure and crisis-response frameworks. Earlier, the UAE’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic had already established an international benchmark for economic continuity under stress.
“Covid revealed underlying strengths,” Ivantsov said. “Those strengths are being tested again now. Businesses that restructured earlier are performing better than later entrants who underestimated the complexity of the market.”
He identified three structural drivers behind sustained investor retention: trust in regulatory enforcement, resonance of long-term capital relationships and confidence in systemic stability even during temporary volatility.
These factors, he noted, cannot be replicated through incentives alone but are built through performance over time — especially during periods of geopolitical uncertainty.
Real estate, one of the sectors most closely watched during regional disruptions, is also showing signs of continued confidence.
“Dubai’s property market has faced its share of turbulence over the years, from the global financial crisis to the pandemic, but each time it has stabilised and recovered,” said Myles Bush, co-founder and chairman of Phoenix Homes.
Despite four weeks of heightened regional tensions linked to the Iran conflict, investor interest in Dubai’s property market has remained steady, reinforcing the emirate’s track record of absorbing shocks and rebounding quickly.
From the global financial crisis of 2008 to the pandemic era and now renewed geopolitical uncertainty, the UAE’s ability to sustain investor confidence continues to distinguish it as one of the region’s most resilient economic hubs — a trend increasingly reflected in both capital flows and market performance.
