AMMAN — The Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) has been named the best-performing Arab stock exchange in terms of price-index growth for 2025 by the Arab Federation of Exchanges.

 

ASE CEO Mazen Wathaifi received the federation’s annual award during its 2026 annual meeting and conference, being held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and Wednesday in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.

 

The award recognises the ASE’s strong performance in 2025, when its General Index (ASEGI) rose 45.1 per cent to 3,611.6 points, up from 2,488.8 points at the end of 2024. The index reached its highest level since 2007, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

 

According to Bloomberg data on financial market performance, the ASE ranked first among Arab stock exchanges and 13th globally in terms of index growth during 2025.

 

The ASE Total Return Index (ASETR) rose 58.52 per cent, while the market capitalisation of listed shares increased 50.1 per cent to about JD26.5 billion, the highest annual growth rate since 2005.

 

Trading activity also increased significantly.

 

Trading volume rose 80.6 per cent, while average daily trading value doubled from JD4.4 million to JD8.8 million.

 

Wathaifi attributed the exchange’s performance to the resilience and positive performance of the Jordanian economy despite challenging regional and global conditions and continued uncertainty, Petra reported.

 

He said that the results reflected improvements in the investment environment, government measures to stimulate economic activity and investment, and efforts to strengthen Jordan’s position as a regional and international investment destination.

 

He also pointed to positive macroeconomic indicators, including growth across a number of economic sectors, higher exports and investment, increased remittances from Jordanians abroad, contained inflation, foreign reserves of about JD28.4 billion, and continued political, monetary and fiscal stability.

 

The performance of listed companies also contributed to the results. Their combined net profits rose 12.9 per cent in 2025, making it the second-highest annual profit level recorded by companies listed on the ASE.

 

Wathaifi also highlighted government measures aimed at boosting trading activity and market liquidity. These included allowing investors seeking Jordanian citizenship to move their investments within the stock market, exempting mutual investment funds from taxation, reducing brokerage commissions and extending trading hours.

 

He said that the market’s performance was further supported by its regulatory and technical infrastructure, which he described as being aligned with international standards and practices, as well as cooperation among the Jordan Securities Commission, the Securities Depository Centre, listed companies and financial services firms.

 

The ASE has continued its positive performance in 2026, he said.

 

“As of the end of September 28, the ASE General Index had risen 15.7 per cent since the beginning of the year, while the Total Return Index had gained 20.1 per cent. The market capitalisation of listed shares increased 14.5 per cent.”

 

Listed companies recorded the second-highest first-half profits in their history, with profits rising 14.3 per cent compared with the first half of 2025. Trading volume increased 65.3 per cent, while average daily trading value rose from JD8.8 million to JD13.4 million.

 

Wathaifi said that the award recognised the efforts of the ASE and other capital-market institutions to strengthen the market’s regulatory and technical frameworks and enhance its position among Arab and international financial markets.

 

He said that the exchange would continue developing Jordan’s financial market, improving its competitiveness and attractiveness to domestic and foreign investors, upgrading its electronic systems and regulatory and technical frameworks, and implementing projects under the Economic Modernisation Vision and its strategic plan.

 

The Abu Dhabi conference brought together officials from Arab stock exchanges and capital-market institutions, regulators, clearing, depository and settlement institutions, brokerage firms, asset managers and investors, as well as experts and policymakers from regional and international markets.