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The Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment at Digital Dubai reported that GDP at current prices rose 0.2 percent to AED 505 billion in the January to June period. Financial and insurance activities expanded 8.8 percent in real terms to reach AED 65.9 billion and lifted their share of the economy to 14 percent from 12.5 percent a year earlier. Human health and social work activities recorded the strongest advance among the highlighted sectors with 14.3 percent real growth that took their value added to AED 6.2 billion.
Construction grew 2.4 percent in real terms with value added at AED 33.2 billion while information and communication activities rose 2.7 percent to AED 24.7 billion, the establishment’s data showed. Wholesale and retail trade remained the largest component of real GDP at 20.5 percent, followed by financial and insurance activities at 14 percent, real estate at 11.8 percent and transportation and storage at 10.7 percent. The establishment issued the figures on October 18.
A Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre assessment placed UAE-wide real GDP at AED 961.9 billion in the first half of 2026, reflecting 0.4 percent growth from the previous year. Non-oil activities accounted for 79.2 percent of that total after expanding 1.8 percent and outpacing the overall figure. The centre’s data indicated financial and insurance activities across the federation grew 14.8 percent in the same period.
Dubai’s performance occurred against a backdrop in which the second quarter saw some contraction in both the emirate and national economies, the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre figures show. Regional developments and travel disruptions affected tourism, transport and trade in the April to June window. Dubai’s real GDP decline for the first half remained modest compared with the quarterly movement.
Electricity, gas, water supply and waste management activities grew 5.4 percent in constant prices to AED 10.2 billion while government services expanded 2.9 percent at constant prices, according to the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment. The establishment noted that several strategic and services sectors continued to record positive growth rates despite the slight real-term contraction for the overall economy. Construction value added at current prices reached AED 35.3 billion after 8.6 percent growth.
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre data showed health and social work activities across the UAE rose 6 percent in the first half of 2026. Information and communication activities at the national level expanded 7.3 percent in the same period. Trade maintained the largest contribution to UAE non-oil GDP at 16.2 percent.
