Standard Chartered's H2 2026 report has confirmed that investors in the United Arab Emirates are entering the second half of the current year from a position of strength, poised to capture investment opportunities amid continued regional benefits from supportive liquidity conditions and stable oil markets.
Standard Chartered's Wealth Solutions Investment Office presented its outlook for global markets in H2 2026, outlining its investment strategy and the key themes investors should consider in the current evolving market environment. The report was launched in conjunction with Global Market Outlook events held by the bank in Dubai and Abu Dhabi — the first such events the bank has held at the regional level for the second half of the year.
For investors in the UAE and the broader Middle East region, developments in energy markets and easing geopolitical pressures affecting markets — following the interim agreement between the United States and Iran — are expected to support investment sentiment. Meanwhile, stable oil prices and strong regional liquidity continue to provide important pillars for investment activity and open broader opportunities for portfolio diversification.
In the Middle East, including the UAE, oil market developments remain a factor of critical importance. Although the interim US–Iran agreement may help ease supply constraints and limit price increases, the pace of recovery in actual flows and the rebuilding of inventories suggests that energy prices may not quickly return to their early-year levels — a key factor in shaping inflation expectations and identifying investment opportunities.
Aisha Abbas, Managing Director and Head of Affluent Client Solutions and Wealth Management for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the UAE at Standard Chartered, said: