Trading on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and the Dubai Financial Market resumes Wednesday
Resumption comes after two-day halt amid rising geopolitical tensions
The ADX will temporarily lower its price limit to -5% to manage anticipated market volatility
Regulators cited the 48-hour halt as a preventative measure to curb panic selling and assess infrastructure
Trading on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and the Dubai Financial Market is set to resume on Wednesday, the Securities and Commodities Authority said, following a two-day suspension on March 2 and 3.
The precautionary halt paused activity on the country’s main capital markets amid rising regional tensions.
2 March 2026
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What Led to Trading Halt
Regulators temporarily closed the exchanges after missile and drone strikes were launched by Iran in retaliation for recent attacks attributed to the United States and Israel.
The strikes reportedly included an attack on Abu Dhabi’s main airport that resulted in casualties and prompted authorities to suspend market operations while security and operational risks were assessed.
The Authority said the decision to resume trading followed continuous coordination with the affected exchanges, ADX and DFM, and was in line with previously announced timelines. It added that monitoring would continue and that it remained prepared to impose further regulatory measures to protect investors and maintain orderly market conditions.
Investors were advised to follow official announcements from the exchanges and the Securities and Commodities Authority for guidance on trading resumption and contingency arrangements.
Halt Implementation
Officials described the temporary halt as a risk-management measure aimed at preventing panic selling and ensuring the resilience of market infrastructure under heightened threat conditions. Although unscheduled exchange closures are uncommon in the era of electronic trading, such steps are occasionally taken during crises to stabilise markets and provide firms and regulators time to activate continuity plans.
During the suspension, many firms shifted staff to remote work and used the pause to test business continuity systems, stress-test trading connectivity, and prepare physical sites for a phased reopening. While the resumption is expected to restore normal trading flows, authorities cautioned investors to anticipate elevated volatility and to keep liquidity and settlement arrangements under close review.
