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UAE Stocks Fall Amid Modest Non-oil Private Sector Growth

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United Arab Emirates equities ended Wednesday's trading session in the red as investors dissected the latest data from the country's non-oil private sector.

At the close of trading, the FTSE ADX General Index was down 0.406%, while the DFM General Index declined 0.801%.

The S&P Global UAE PMI increased to 52.6 in May from 52.1 in April, staying well below its long-run average of 54.3. While operating conditions improved, growth remained subdued with a decline in export orders, and cost pressures rose amid the ongoing regional developments and supply chain disruptions due to the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

"The continued cut-off to maritime trade had a cascading effect through the UAE economy in May. Input deliveries were delayed to the greatest extent since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, with some firms reporting that disruptions to manufacturing production schedules fed through to other sectors," S&P Global Market Intelligence senior economist David Owen said. "Positively, the longer-term outlook remained strong in May, suggesting that businesses still view these current challenges as temporary and expect growth to bounce back quickly."

On the geopolitical front, the US and Iran exchanged fresh strikes overnight, while further talks between Lebanon and Israel are expected to take place on Wednesday.

Back home, Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. (ADX:TAQA), d/b/a Taqa, in a consortium with Aljomaih Energy and Water Co. and Sembcorp Industries, secured the Taweelah C independent power producer project in Abu Dhabi from Emirates Water and Electricity Co. Shares of the energy company closed the session 1.72% lower.

Meanwhile, in Dubai, stocks of Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Co. (DFM:DU) d/b/a du, ended flat. The telecommunications company launched a $50 million corporate venture fund to invest in fintech, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity companies as part of its strategy to enhance its core activities.

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