Abu Dhabi, Sept. 29 (Petra) – The Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) received
the 2025 Arab Federation of Capital Markets (AFCM) award on Tuesday
for being the best-performing Arab stock exchange in price index
growth.

ASE CEO Mazen Wathaifi accepted the honor during the annual meeting
held in Abu Dhabi on Sept. 29-30, in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi
Securities Exchange.

The award recognizes the ASE’s standout performance in 2025, when it
led all Arab exchanges and ranked 13th globally, according to
Bloomberg market data.

The general price index (ASEGI) jumped 45.1 percent in 2025 to close
at 3,611.6 points, its highest level since 2007. The Total Return
Index (ASETR) rose 58.52 percent, while listed market capitalization
expanded 50.1 percent to JD26.5 billion, marking the exchange’s
strongest annual growth rate since 2005. Trading volume surged 80.6
percent, doubling daily average trading from JD4.4 million to JD8.8
million.

Wathaifi credited Jordan’s resilient macroeconomic fundamentals and
targeted government economic stimulus, despite regional and global
uncertainties. Key drivers included positive GDP growth, expanding
exports, steady worker remittances, low inflation, and foreign
exchange reserves reaching approximately JD28.4 billion. Listed
companies posted a 12.9 percent rise in net profits for 2025,
recording their second-highest historical earnings.

Pro-investment policy measures also energized the market. Key
initiatives included allowing citizenship-seeking foreign investors
to trade on the ASE, exempting mutual funds from taxes, reducing
broker commissions, and extending trading hours.

Wathaifi noted that the award demonstrates growing trust in Jordan’s
economy and regulatory framework, stating ASE’s goal to modernize
infrastructure in line with global best practices.

The ASE’s positive momentum continued through 2026. Year-to-date
figures show a 15.7 percent increase in the general index, a 20.1
percent rise in total returns, a 14.5 percent gain in market
capitalization, and a 14.3 percent profit growth among listed
companies in the first half of the year, alongside a 65.3 percent
increase in total trading volume.

Wathaifi added that the exchange will continue developing Jordan’s
financial market, boosting its competitiveness and attractiveness to
local and foreign investors, upgrading its electronic systems and
regulatory and technical frameworks, and implementing projects under
the Economic Modernization Vision.

The Abu Dhabi conference brought together leaders of Arab stock
exchanges and capital market institutions, regulators, clearing,
depository, and settlement institutions, brokerage firms, asset
managers, and investors, along with experts and policymakers from
regional and international markets.

The conference provided a platform to exchange expertise and views on
developments and trends in the capital markets industry and discuss
ways to improve market efficiency, competitiveness, and
infrastructure.

//Petra// HA