The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Group, ranked among the world’s top 20 exchanges by market size, is broadening its extensive suite of investment instruments through the introduction of the FTSE ADX Dividend Stars Index, the first index of its kind in the region.
Now active, the index gives investors access to income-focused equities across Abu Dhabi’s strong and fast-evolving capital market. It launches with 17 constituents that mirror the emirate’s broad economic profile and feature companies known for reliable dividend performance, diversified business operations, and international reach, underscoring Abu Dhabi’s expanding global presence. Collectively, these companies represented more than 70% of all dividend distributions by ADX-listed firms in 2025. Their financial strength is also reflected in rising profitability, with combined net earnings for the first nine months of 2025 increasing by 20% compared with the same period in 2024, demonstrating their resilience and solid fundamentals.
Covering a wide spectrum of Abu Dhabi’s dynamic economy – spanning communication services, industrials, energy, financials, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, and basic materials – the new index becomes the 17th under the FTSE ADX series and the fifth flagship index developed in collaboration with FTSE Russell. Its launch further highlights the ADX’s focus on deepening the market and expanding the range of tools available to investors.
The introduction of this index reflects the ADX’s ongoing commitment to innovation and market depth, complementing its existing thematic indices such as the FTSE ADX ESG Screened and FTSE ADX 15 Islamic. Together, these provide broader options for diversification and performance benchmarking across key investment themes.
Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Group, said that the FTSE ADX Dividend Stars Index creates a new opportunity for investors looking for steady and growing income supported by the emirate’s strong capital market. He noted that the transparent, data-driven benchmark strengthens liquidity, enhances issuer visibility, and boosts investor confidence, reinforcing the exchange’s role in driving Abu Dhabi’s economic expansion by attracting investment, supporting corporate growth, and enabling wider market participation.
Gerald Toledano, Global Head of Equities and Multi Assets at FTSE Russell, an LSEG business, said the collaboration with ADX continues to broaden investor access to transparent, rules-based benchmarks that reflect the region’s maturity. He added that the FTSE ADX Dividend Stars Index establishes a strong framework for tracking high-dividend performance, benefiting both income-focused investors and Abu Dhabi’s active capital market.
Over the past five years, ADX investors have benefited significantly as listed companies distributed more than 320 billion dirhams in cash dividends since 2020, achieving a compound annual growth rate of nearly 33%. Over the same period, the exchange has more than doubled its market capitalisation and has emerged as the region’s best-performing market, consistently outperforming the FTSE Emerging Markets Index – a clear indication of its robust fundamentals and sustained growth momentum.
