Dubai’s real gross domestic product reached approximately $128.8 billion in the first half of 2026, down 2.3% from $131.8 billion during the same period last year, according to data from the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment at Digital Dubai.
GDP at current prices rose 0.2% year on year to around $137.4 billion, with performance differing across sectors. Financial services, healthcare, information and communication, and construction all recorded real growth.
Financial and insurance activities expanded 8.8%, reaching about $18 billion in value added and accounting for 14% of real GDP. Healthcare grew 14.3% to approximately $1.7 billion, while electricity, gas, water supply and waste management increased 5.4% to around $2.8 billion.
Information and communication grew 2.7% to $6.7 billion, and construction increased 2.4% to roughly $9 billion. Government services rose 2.9%, while education grew 1.2%.
Wholesale and retail trade remained the largest contributor, representing 20.5% of real GDP. However, the sector contracted 6% in real terms to approximately $26.3 billion, which the report attributed to higher inflation. Transportation and storage declined 7.4% to around $13.7 billion.
Real estate contracted 2.5% in real terms, despite growing 5.4% at current prices. Dubai’s foreign trade increased 4% year on year during the period.
Source: Fast Company Middle East
