Index inclusion takes effect on September 1, potentially attracting new inflows from passive funds.
Dubai: du will be added to the MSCI UAE Standard Index from September 1, giving the Dubai-listed telecom operator greater exposure to international investors tracking major emerging-market benchmarks.
The inclusion follows MSCI’s latest Equity Index Review and will take effect after the market closes on August 31. It could raise the stock’s profile among global institutional investors and boost trading liquidity as index-tracking funds rebalance their portfolios.
The MSCI UAE Standard Index is part of the broader MSCI Emerging Markets Index, which tracks large- and mid-cap companies across 24 emerging-market countries.
What the inclusion means for du shares
du said its growing market capitalisation, higher free-float percentage and improved trading liquidity helped the company meet the criteria for inclusion in the index.
The company expects its inclusion to attract passive inflows from funds tracking MSCI benchmarks while increasing its visibility among international institutional investors.
Combined with our strong H1 2026 financial performance, including double-digit net profit growth and continued margin expansion, it underscores the strength and resilience of our business model and long-term investment case. Beyond du, this inclusion highlights the increasing depth, liquidity and attractiveness of the UAE’s capital markets, supporting the country’s position as a leading destination for international investment.
Fahad Al Hassawi, Chief Executive Officer of du
Profit rises 12.6%
The index inclusion comes after a stronger first-half performance by the telecom operator.
du reported revenue of Dh8.2 billion for the first six months of 2026, up 5.8% from a year earlier, while service revenue rose 7.7%.
EBITDA increased 10.5% to Dh4 billion, while the EBITDA margin expanded by 2.1 percentage points to 49.2%.
Net profit rose 12.6% to Dh1.6 billion, while operating free cash flow grew 9.7% to Dh3 billion.
At the end of the period, du had 9.3 million mobile subscribers and 744,000 fixed-line customers.
The company’s inclusion in the MSCI UAE Standard Index will take effect on September 1, following portfolio changes after the close of trading on August 31.
