MSCI adds Dubai Residential REIT + Union Properties to small-cap index: MSCI is adding DFM-listed real estate players Dubai Residential REIT and Union Properties to its Emerging Markets Small Cap Index, and removing Aramex, as of market close on Tuesday, 26 August, according to its index review (pdf).

Why it matters: Being added to an MSCI index basically means the company has met certain global standards for metrics, including market cap and liquidity, which puts it on the radar of international investors. It’s also a way for getting a stock picked up by global funds and ETFs, which could lead to stronger investor demand for the stock, giving the constituent more visibility and credibility in international markets.

Background: For Union Properties, stronger trading activity this year, buoyed by Dubai’s booming property market and reduction of its legacy debt to reduce balance sheet pressures, likely supported its inclusion. Meanwhile, Dubai Residential REIT was added shortly after it went public in what was the UAE’s largest IPO of the year in May. On the other hand, Aramex’s removal comes as the firm’s profitability takes a hit amid broader shifts in trade flows, and after its acquisition by AD Ports. The firm turned a loss of AED 9.3 mn in 2Q 2025.

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