Author: Dr Issac PJ
Dubai’s property market is entering what industry leaders describe as its first genuine price-discovery phase since the regional conflict disrupted investor sentiment earlier this year, marking a critical turning point for a sector that has emerged from the crisis with its fundamentals largely intact.After several years of relentless price growth driven by surging demand, limited inventory and record inflows of foreign capital, the market is now recalibrating. Buyers are taking more time to assess value, sellers are being forced to align expectations with market realities, and tenants are finding themselves with greater negotiating power as fresh supply enters the market.…
Abu Dhabi’s residential property market is regaining momentum after a brief period of uncertainty, with buyers and tenants returning to both ready and off-plan developments as strong economic fundamentals, regulatory reforms and sustained population growth continue to support demand.New data from property portals Bayut and dubizzle shows a broad-based recovery in market activity during the first half of 2026, with property searches, buyer enquiries and agent engagement rebounding steadily across the emirate’s most sought-after residential communities.According to the portals’ analysis of user activity between January and June, property views recovered to 95 per cent of their 2026 baseline by Week…
Investors in the UAE are well positioned to navigate an increasingly complex global investment landscape in the second half of 2026, supported by resilient regional fundamentals, stabilising oil markets and abundant liquidity, according to Standard Chartered’s latest Global Market Outlook.The bank’s Wealth Solutions Chief Investment Office (CIO) remains constructive on risk assets despite persistent geopolitical uncertainty, expecting the global economy to achieve a soft landing while offering attractive opportunities across equities, fixed income and alternative investments.Launched this week at investment forums in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the report projects the US S&P 500 Index to climb to 7,950 and gold…
The UAE banking sector has emerged from the Middle East conflict with its resilience intact, supported by abundant liquidity, strong capitalisation and swift intervention by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), according to S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings.Despite weaker economic activity, disrupted trade and softer tourism during the conflict, both agencies believe UAE banks remain among the strongest in the GCC and are well positioned to absorb the fallout with only limited pressure on asset quality and profitability.The latest CBUAE data underscores that resilience. Total banking assets climbed 17.7 per cent year-on-year to Dh5.56 trillion at the end…
The UAE’s off-plan property market continues to defy expectations, with investor demand remaining robust despite months of geopolitical uncertainty that many analysts had feared would slow long-term real estate commitments.Instead of retreating from projects that may take years to complete, investors are increasingly embracing off-plan developments, attracted by lower entry prices, flexible payment plans and the prospect of substantial capital appreciation.The trend is not only reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global real estate powerhouse but is also propelling Abu Dhabi into the spotlight as one of the region’s fastest-growing investment destinations.According to property advisory firm Equity, investor confidence in the…
Gold prices extended their slide on Wednesday, falling to their lowest level in nearly two weeks as a strengthening US dollar and growing expectations of additional Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes outweighed geopolitical concerns and weakened demand for the traditional safe-haven asset.Spot gold fell 1.63 per cent to $4,064.03 an ounce by mid-morning UAE time after touching its lowest level since June 11, while August futures slipped to $4,081.67 an ounce. The decline marks a sharp reversal from the record highs seen earlier this year when the US-Iran conflict and disruptions to global energy markets triggered a rush into bullion.The latest…
Abu Dhabi has reinforced its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing technology and innovation hubs after entering the global top 50 startup ecosystems for the first time, with the emirate’s startup ecosystem now valued at an impressive $73.4 billion, according to the latest Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) 2026.The achievement marks a major milestone in Abu Dhabi’s transformation from an oil-dependent economy into a knowledge-driven innovation powerhouse. The emirate ranked between 41st and 50th globally in the report, climbing more than 10 places in a single year, while its ecosystem value surged by an extraordinary 3,057 per cent over…
Dubai is set to add more than 5.4 million square feet of Grade A warehouse space over the next two years, marking one of the largest expansions of modern logistics infrastructure in the emirate’s history as demand from e-commerce, manufacturing, trade and regional distribution companies continues to accelerate.According to a new report by Bright Rich | CORFAC International, nearly 85 per cent of the new supply is scheduled for delivery in 2026, highlighting strong investor confidence in Dubai’s growing role as the Gulf’s primary logistics and supply-chain hub.The development pipeline comes at a time when businesses are increasingly using Dubai…
A Dubai-based Indian investor, who quietly accumulated shares in the National Stock Exchange (NSE) nearly a decade ago, is set to emerge as one of the biggest individual beneficiaries of what could become India’s largest-ever initial public offering, underscoring the rewards of patient investing in strategic national assets. The NSE’s filing of its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) marks a decisive step towards a public listing that market participants estimate could raise around Rs300 billion ($3.5 billion), potentially making it the largest IPO in Indian corporate history.Among the beneficiaries is Siddharth Balachandran, a Dubai-based non-resident Indian investor, who began building…
The UAE economy is expected to weather the fallout from the Middle East conflict and return to a stronger growth trajectory from 2027, underpinned by rising oil production, expanding export infrastructure and one of the world’s strongest sovereign balance sheets, according to assessments by economists and analysts.While the recent framework agreement between the US and Iran has improved prospects for regional stability, analysts at S&P Global Ratings cautions that the effects of the war will continue to weigh on economic activity in 2026, particularly in energy, tourism, trade and real estate. Nevertheless, the ratings agency believes the UAE’s vast fiscal…