UAE stock markets ended slightly lower on Friday, September 25, 2026, after giving up their early gains as concerns over possible disruptions to regional air travel added to investor caution. Selling followed an adviser to Iran’s leader who warned that restrictions on Iranian flights and airport services could have wider consequences for countries across the region.
Iranian adviser Mokhber said that if Iran could not operate flights or receive airport services, “no one in the region” would be able to do so either, according to reports. The comments came as regional aviation remains under pressure amid the wider conflict.
Abu Dhabi’s benchmark index slipped 0.1%, with National Bank of Fujairah among the biggest drags, falling 4.8%. Abu Dhabi National Hotel also declined, losing 1%. Energy stocks offered some support. ADNOC Gas gained 0.3%, while ADNOC Drilling rose 0.4%, helped by expectations that energy supplies from the region could improve.
The market movements came against a backdrop of continued activity through key regional shipping routes. Around 60 commercial vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, carrying the highest daily volume of crude oil through the waterway since early July, according to another report.
Dubai’s main index fell 0.05%, with pressure coming from individual stocks. Toll operator Salik Company declined 0.7%, while food delivery platform Talabat Holding dropped 2.6%. The modest decline reflected a cautious market as investors continued to assess the potential impact of regional travel and transport disruptions.
Flights to and from Iran have also been suspended at all four Iraqi airports that had been handling those routes: Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil and Sulaimaniya, according to sources and state media.
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Oil prices moved lower on Friday, with Brent crude falling 1.5% to $105 a barrel by 1141 GMT. Markets were weighing the possibility of a truce between the United States and Iran against concerns that rising attacks by Houthi fighters on Saudi Arabia could threaten supplies from the major oil producer.
UAE equities fell amid mixed signals in energy markets. While expectations of improving regional supplies supported energy shares, continued uncertainty over air travel, shipping routes and the wider conflict kept investors cautious.
For Gulf markets, developments surrounding regional transport and energy flows remain closely watched as traders assess how the conflict could affect economic activity and market sentiment in the days ahead.