UAE Banks Post Strong First-Half Profits Despite Regional Conflict

The UAE's largest banks reported strong results for the first half of 2026, highlighting the resilience of the country's financial sector even as the region absorbed the shock of conflict involving Iran. Emirates NBD posted a record pre-tax profit of about AED 16.2 billion, up 5% year-on-year, as total income rose 16% to AED 27.9 billion on double-digit growth in lending and deposits. Group assets surpassed AED 1.3 trillion for the first time, boosted by the consolidation of its acquisition of India's RBL Bank, and its second-quarter profit came in around AED 6.4 billion. First Abu Dhabi Bank, the country's biggest lender, reported net profit of about AED 10.73 billion, with return on tangible equity above 18% and total assets of roughly AED 1.41 trillion. Smaller lenders also grew, with RAKBank's second-quarter profit rising more than 5%. Bank executives attributed the performance to robust UAE economic growth, healthy customer activity and diversified income, while noting that the government's focus on long-term resilience continued to support business confidence across the country.