In a notable development for Arab financial markets, trading activity surged in July, with the volume of shares traded experiencing a significant increase. The number of shares exchanged rose by 28.82% from June, reaching a total of 261.86 billion shares, up from 203.27 billion in the previous month. This upsurge was predominantly driven by heightened activity on the Iraq Stock Exchange, closely followed by the Egyptian market.
Despite the substantial rise in trading volume, the overall value of transactions saw a decline. In July, the transaction value fell by 16.82% to $90.24 billion from June’s $108.48 billion. Several major markets, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Kuwait, recorded decreases in transaction value, contributing to the overall drop.
Performance across the region’s stock markets presented a mixed picture. Egypt’s EGX30 index stood out as one of the top performers, showing a gain of 5.85% during July. Other exchanges in the region also posted gains, although the performance varied significantly among different markets.
Meanwhile, the combined market capitalization of Arab stock exchanges remained relatively stable. It saw a slight increase of 0.06%, bringing the total market capitalization to approximately $4.31 trillion. This stability in market capitalization comes amidst the backdrop of increased trading activity and the varied performance of major equity markets in the Arab region.
These figures underscore a dynamic period for trading across Arab stock markets, marked by a robust increase in trading volumes despite a dip in transaction values. The mixed performance of key markets highlights the diverse economic conditions influencing the region’s financial landscape.