Capital Markets

The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) was upgraded to emerging market status in 2014, and with total market capitalisation of more than $126.1bn as of late January 2015, it ranks first among the UAE’s three different exchanges. In addition to this, 2014 witnessed the first listing of a government bond on the ADX and the implementation of new rules guiding the listing of Islamic bonds, while technical upgrades to the exchange saw the introduction of NASDAQ OMX’s X-Stream Trading technology. The expected 2015 launch of Abu Dhabi Global Market, the UAE’s second financial free zone, which will be organised around a separate regulatory structure, an independent companies registrar and a financial services regulator, is expected to boost activity in the sector, helping to further establish the emirate as a centre of global wealth management.

This chapter contains an interview with Ahmed Al Sayegh, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Global Market; and Rashed Al Balooshi, CEO, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.