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FCSC reported preliminary UAE real GDP at AED961.9 billion at constant prices for H1 2026, up 0.4% from H1 2025. The October 9 release also records non-oil GDP growth of 1.8% and a 79.2% share, against 78.1% a year earlier.
The quarterly comparison was weaker: real GDP in Q2 2026 was AED476.9 billion, 2.1% below Q2 2025. Non-oil activity contracted 1.1% in the quarter. The release said tourism, transport and trade were among sectors affected by regional developments and travel disruptions, but it did not quantify each sector’s contribution to the decline.
The H1 and Q2 figures cover overlapping periods, so the half-year growth rate should not be read as the Q2 rate. The 79.2% non-oil share also does not mean non-oil output grew at the same pace in every quarter; the release reports different directions for the half-year and second quarter.
FCSC labels the national accounts preliminary and says a comprehensive GDP series revision is under way, with an updated series expected after approval in Q1 2027. The estimates may therefore change and should be distinguished from final historical data.