Nasdaq Dubai is expanding its suite of equity futures with the addition of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Union Properties single stock futures.

The exchange will add Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) and Union Properties (UPP) to its equity futures market on October 23, bringing the number of UAE firms on which futures can be traded to nine.

 “The addition of ADCB as a prominent bank and UPP as a leading property company provides attractive new opportunities for investors wishing to take a range of positions in the UAE capital markets. 

"The benefits of leverage, and the ability to make gains when underlying shares are falling as well as rising, are among the innovative features that the market offers,” said  Hamed Ali, chief executive of Nasdaq Dubai in a statement.  

The exchange also said that a total of 43,219 single stock futures contracts have traded since the market opened on September 1 with some 20 futures based on seven individual firms. SHUAA Capital is the market maker for all the futures traded on the market.

Furthermore, Nasdaq plans a phased expansion of its futures market in coming months, including futures and options on shares of other companies listed on MENA exchanges, as well as futures on equity indices.

As reported by FOW earlier this year the Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) launched a suite of single stock futures contracts – its first equity futures – to provide access to Indian and US stocks, including Facebook, Google, JP Morgan, Apple, Ifosys and Tata Motors.

The Dubai exchange said in June that it plans to treble the number of single stock futures contracts it offers by the end of 2016 to 45.

FOW will host our Trading GCC event in partnership with Nasdaq Dubai on the 15 November at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Dubai. For more information and to register, click here.