Key Highlights
- UAED, the Lunate S&P UAE UCITS ETF, traded AED 211.3k, ranking 1st by value on the ETF board; it closed 1.69% lower on the day on 3.36 times its seven-day average volume, yet carries the board's heaviest net weekly buying pressure at AED 243.3k.
- CHADX15, the Lunate FTSE ADX 15 ETF, was the busiest ETF versus its own seven-day average, at 21.93 times that average on 35,892 shares (AED 131.5k); its 2.41% fall is against its 2026-10-06 close, not a one-day move.
- USGRWTH, the Lunate S&P US Shariah Growth ETF, was the board's only gainer and best one-day performer at +0.21%, while carrying the board's heaviest net weekly selling pressure at AED 163.6k.
- Of the 19 ETFs measured against the preceding session, 16 closed lower, 1 higher and 2 unchanged.
- Exchange-wide turnover was AED 1.34bn across 98 active tickers, 42.0% above the previous session and 28.8% above the average of the 9 prior sessions.
- On the equity board, 57 of 68 measurable names closed lower; ADAVIATION, Abu Dhabi Aviation Co, was the worst at -4.92% on AED 14.24m.
- IHC, International Holding Company PJSC, led equities at AED 178.69m traded and carries the board's heaviest net weekly selling pressure at AED 141.35m.
Market Overview
Thursday's session on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange was decisively lower on heavy trade. Exchange-wide turnover reached AED 1.34bn across 98 active tickers, 42.0% higher than Wednesday's AED 940.18m and 28.8% above the average of the 9 prior sessions. The ETF board followed the market down: of the 19 ETFs measured against the preceding session, 16 closed lower, 1 closed higher and 2 closed unchanged, with the two UAE equity trackers, UAED, the Lunate S&P UAE UCITS ETF, and UAEA, the Lunate S&P UAE Shariah ETF, both falling on above-average volume as their underlying market dropped.
The tension sits in the order book. UAED fell 1.69% yet carries the heaviest net weekly buying pressure on the ETF board, AED 243.3k, with UAEA behind it at AED 87.7k. Across the exchange as a whole the picture was the opposite: AED 208.35m more value crossed at the bid than at the ask, and on the equity board 49 names carry negative weekly net pressure against 38 positive. Buyers kept working the UAE trackers even as the shares beneath them sold off.
ETFs
UAED, the Lunate S&P UAE UCITS ETF, set the board's agenda. It traded AED 211.3k on 36,240 shares, ranking 1st by value, closed 1.69% lower against its 2026-10-07 close, and traded 3.36 times its seven-day average volume of 10,777 shares. It is down 2.02% over the week from its 2026-10-01 base, yet tops the board's net weekly buying pressure ranking. UAEA, the Lunate S&P UAE Shariah ETF, ranked 3rd by value at AED 100.6k, eased a milder 0.90% on 2.35 times its average volume and holds the second-heaviest net weekly buying pressure at AED 87.7k.
CHADX15, the Lunate FTSE ADX 15 ETF, was the board's busiest name relative to its own history, trading 21.93 times its seven-day average volume of 1,637 shares, on AED 131.5k. Its 2.41% decline is measured against its 2026-10-06 close, two calendar days back, so it is not a one-day move and sits outside the breadth count. The activity extends the pattern from Wednesday's wrap, where local-tracker flow also stood out against a quieter board.
USGRWTH, the Lunate S&P US Shariah Growth ETF, was the only riser and the board's best one-day performer at +0.21% on AED 92.3k. The same fund carries the heaviest net weekly selling pressure on the board, AED 163.6k, followed by JPANI, the Lunate S&P Japan UCITS ETF, at AED 135.9k and TURKI, the Lunate S&P Turkey Shariah ETF, at AED 71.9k. The week's order-book pattern, in other words, favours the UAE trackers and runs against the international funds, even though USGRWTH is up 1.51% over the week from its 2026-10-01 base.
Further down, GCCDIV, the Lunate Solactive GCC Shariah Dividend ETF, fell 1.42% on AED 80.3k and is flat over the week from its 2026-10-01 base; the regional index backdrop shifted this week with Oman's addition to the FTSE Russell watch list for emerging market status. The worst one-day performer was INDI, the Lunate S&P India Shariah ETF, at -2.47%, though on just 1,210 shares (AED 3.4k). TURKI, whose 3.68% fall on heavy relative volume led Wednesday's wrap, went quiet: it was the board's thinnest name at 0.011 times its average, on 33 shares (AED 215).
Equities
The equity board traded AED 1.33bn, and 57 of the 68 names measured against the preceding session closed lower, with 5 higher and 6 unchanged; a further 8 traded names lacked a previous-session close. Declines ran through the largest names by value: FAB, First Abu Dhabi Bank, fell 2.30% on AED 155.71m; ALDAR, Al Dar Properties, fell 3.41% on 2.13 times its average volume; ADNOCGAS, ADNOC GAS PLC, fell 2.71% on AED 111.12m; and ADIB, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, fell 4.03% on 2.24 times its average volume. ADAVIATION, Abu Dhabi Aviation Co, was the board's worst performer at -4.92% on AED 14.24m, though it remains up 12.81% over the week from its 2026-10-01 base.
IHC, International Holding Company PJSC, was the exception among the heavyweights, closing just 0.03% lower while leading the exchange at AED 178.69m traded. It also carries the equity board's heaviest net weekly selling pressure, AED 141.35m, ahead of ADNOCGAS at AED 80.76m and BOROUGE, Borouge PLC, at AED 38.91m.
On the other side of the week's ledger, FAB carries the heaviest net weekly buying pressure at AED 31.59m, followed by LULU, LULU RETAIL HOLDINGS PLC, at AED 27.79m and ADNOCDIST, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company For Distribution, at AED 24.72m. LULU is up 2.35% over the week from its 2026-10-01 base despite a 2.74% fall on the day. FAB's weekly decline of 4.31% from its 2026-10-01 base is the figure to watch against that buying pressure in the next session.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by our Editorial staff before publication. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Please review the relevant securities website and factsheets before making any investment decision. See our full disclosures.