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Dubai’s benchmark index advanced 2 percent on Wednesday to finish at 5,545 points with blue-chip developer Emaar Properties jumping 5.6 percent and Emirates NBD climbing 4.7 percent according to market closing data. The gains came as the Dubai Executive Council approved an AED 1 billion support package for the business sector on March 30 that took effect the following day. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum endorsed the measures which aim to strengthen economic resilience readiness and agility over the next three to six months.
The package includes a three-month deferral on selected government fees along with the option for hotels to postpone 100 percent of sales fees and Tourism Dirham payments to improve liquidity in hospitality and tourism the Dubai Media Office stated. Customs data submission grace periods were extended from 30 to 90 days with potential for further extensions while maintaining full tax compliance. A subsequent AED 1.5 billion incentive round in May brought the combined support introduced in under two months to AED 2.5 billion according to Invest in Dubai figures.
Dubai recorded 5.4 percent GDP growth that pushed output above AED 937 billion reflecting momentum in a diversified base spanning trade tourism and finance Arabian Business reported. The Central Bank of the UAE projected national real GDP expansion at 5.6 percent for both 2025 and 2026 driven primarily by non-hydrocarbon sectors such as financial services manufacturing and construction. World Bank assessments placed UAE growth around 5 percent in 2026 outpacing global averages amid rising oil production and trade integration.
Across the Gulf other benchmarks posted advances with Abu Dhabi’s index rising 1.4 percent to end at 9,650 points and Qatar’s measure gaining 0.8 percent to close at 10,271. Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul added 0.2 percent to 11,276 supported by a 1.2 percent rise in Saudi National Bank and a 0.6 percent increase in Saudi Aramco according to Reuters-compiled data. Bahrain Oman and Kuwait saw more modest upticks of 0.2 percent 0.3 percent and 0.8 percent respectively while Egypt’s blue-chip index surged more than 3 percent to 46,731.
Milad Azar a market analyst at XTB MENA said expectations of de-escalation in the Iran conflict helped restore stability across GCC equities. “If these expectations are realised the recovery could become more sustained over the medium term” Azar stated. He noted that support from Dubai’s package could ease economic pressures while the UAE continues to benefit from resilient fundamentals and that Saudi Arabia’s market had stabilised with still-elevated oil prices continuing to underpin sentiment.
US President Donald Trump signalled on the prior Tuesday that Washington could conclude its military campaign in two to three weeks without Tehran needing to reach a formal agreement to halt hostilities the report added. Oil prices reversed earlier gains on the day as uncertainty in the Middle East persisted despite the apparent path toward a fragile ceasefire. The developments arrived against a backdrop in which the Strait of Hormuz had begun reopening gradually after earlier disruptions according to later Reuters updates on energy markets.
