UAE Stocks Slump on Mar. 4 as Stock Market Reopens Amid Regional Tensions

  • Publish date: since 4 hours Reading time: two min read

Major blue-chips including First Abu Dhabi Bank, Emaar and Air Arabia fall on first trading day after two-day halt

Stocks across the United Arab Emirates tumbled on March 4, 2026, as markets reopened following a two-day suspension triggered by escalating regional conflict, with major companies posting significant declines.

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Trading on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) resumed after being closed on March 2 and 3 as precautionary measures amid Iranian missile and drone strikes subsided.

On reopening, sentiment was overwhelmingly negative with the DFM General Index dropping about 4.7 per cent, its steepest fall since May 2022. The ADX benchmark also slumped around 3.6 per cent, reflecting broad-based sell-offs across sectors.

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Among blue-chips:

  • Emaar Properties slid roughly 4.9 per cent, dragging on the real estate sector.
  • Air Arabia saw shares fall about 5 per cent, under pressure from travel-related volatility.
  • First Abu Dhabi Bank, the nation’s largest lender, dropped around 5 per cent on the ADX.

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  • Banking heavyweight Emirates NBD also declined by approximately 5 per cent amid broader risk-off sentiment.
  • Other major banks, including Dubai Islamic Bank and Mashreq Bank, were among the hardest hit stocks, each moving down towards the temporary -5 per cent price limit imposed by exchanges to curb volatility.

Shares of property developer Aldar Properties also suffered, contributing to the weakened performance on the Abu Dhabi market, while energy-related names such as those tied to Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) saw more muted losses amid fluctuating oil outlooks.

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The two-day trading halt on March 2–3, 2026, reflected authorities’ efforts to manage investor exposure during days of heightened geopolitical risk. The closures paused billions of dollars in listed assets as markets awaited clarity on the scale of conflict-related disruptions.

As regional tensions persist, traders in the Gulf and beyond have adopted a cautious stance, with investors closely monitoring developments for indications of stability before committing fresh capital.