Arab stock markets experienced a notable surge in trading activity in July, with the number of shares traded increasing by 28.82% compared to the previous month. The total trading volume climbed to 261.86 billion shares from June’s 203.27 billion shares, largely fueled by robust activity in the Iraq Stock Exchange, followed closely by Egypt. This uptick in trading volume comes despite a decline in the overall value of transactions.
There was a significant drop of 16.82% in the value of transactions, which fell to $90.24 billion in July from $108.48 billion in June. Several major markets, including those in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Kuwait, reported declines in transaction values. This trend highlights a disconnect between the rise in trading volume and the decrease in transaction value across the region.
The performance of regional stock markets remained varied during this period. Egypt’s EGX30 index stood out as one of the strongest performers, posting a gain of 5.85% over the month. Other regional exchanges also saw gains, although market performances were mixed, reflecting different economic and market conditions across the Arab world.
Despite the fluctuations in transaction values and varied market performances, the combined market capitalization of Arab stock exchanges saw a marginal increase of 0.06%, bringing the total to approximately $4.31 trillion. This slight rise indicates a degree of stability in market capitalization amid the contrasting trends in trading activity and transaction values.
These figures underscore the heightened trading activity in Arab stock markets, even as transaction values weaken and major equity markets in the region show mixed results. The increase in trading volume, driven in part by Iraq and Egypt, suggests continued investor interest and engagement across the region’s financial markets.