Business Bay recorded over Dhs4.5bn in off-plan real estate sales in Q2 2025, across more than 1,900 transactions—solidifying its position as one of Dubai’s most dynamic residential and investment hubs. The figures underscore rising investor confidence in the district’s central location, upscale living, and consistent returns.

Read-Five emirates, Dh239bn: UAE real estate rockets in early 2025

This surge in off-plan activity comes amid broader momentum in Dubai’s property market, which logged a record Dhs66.8bn in total sales in May 2025. That figure spans 18,700 transactions, reflecting a 44 per cent increase in value and a 6 per cent rise in volume compared to May 2024. Business Bay played a key role in this growth, contributing 5 per cent of the city’s total sales value while accounting for just 3 per cent of transactions—highlighting the area’s premium pricing and strong appeal.

Strategic positioning and developer response

Located between Downtown Dubai and the Dubai Canal, Business Bay remains a magnet for both local and international buyers. Its mix of world-class infrastructure, five-star hotels, and easy access to Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Metro, DIFC, and key leisure hubs positions it as a high-performance district in the city’s real estate landscape.

In response to continued demand, developers are accelerating delivery of design-led, lifestyle-focused projects, many of which include branded residences and luxury features aimed at the next generation of Dubai residents and global investors. The neighbourhood’s consistent yields and reputation for capital appreciation continue to make it a top choice for those seeking long-term growth in the heart of the city.

As demand continues to rise, developers are responding with design-led, lifestyle-focused projects that cater to the next generation of Dubai residents and global property investors. Among the most anticipated is a luxury branded residence by QUBE Development, in collaboration with the award-winning global hospitality group The Lux Collective and its flagship brand, LUX. This project brings to life the vision of a private sanctuary that blends urban luxury with world-class service in the heart of Business Bay.

Business Bay remains one of Dubai’s most connected and dynamic districts. QUBE Development aims to raise the bar for luxury living, introducing a fresh perspective on urban sophistication and branded residence excellence at the center of the city.

RTA Completes traffic improvements in Business Bay

In another development, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has completed three key traffic enhancements in the Business Bay area. The upgrades targeted several key locations along the corridor, which links directly to Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road, aiming to improve traffic flow and road safety.

The improvements are designed to meet the needs of residents, visitors, and businesses in a district known for its mix of residential, commercial, and service facilities, a WAM report said.

The works are part of a broader initiative to modernize infrastructure and enhance the efficiency of Dubai’s road network, in line with ongoing population growth and urban development. The completed upgrades are expected to ease congestion, raise safety standards, and reduce travel times in high-density areas.

As part of the project, the street running parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road was converted from a two-lane, two-way configuration into a one-way dual carriageway, with new signage and road markings. This modification doubled the street’s capacity and significantly improved traffic flow by reducing conflict points.

In addition, a 100-metre-long storage lane was constructed at the intersection of Al Mustaqbal Street and Al Khaleej Al Tejari 1 Street. The added lane has increased right-turn capacity toward First Al Khail Street by 50 per cent, cutting down congestion and wait times while enhancing the intersection’s efficiency.

In a major move set to support the emirate’s real estate sector and residents, the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) have jointly launched the First-Time Home Buyer programme, aimed at easing homeownership for Emiratis and expatriates.

The initiative offers first-time buyers priority access to new property launches, preferential pricing, and customised mortgage solutions, marking a significant step in making Dubai’s property market more accessible.

The programme aligns with key national and local frameworks, including the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), the Dubai Real Estate Strategy 2033, and the UAE’s Year of Community.

Officials say the programme highlights the strength of public-private sector collaboration, with leading developers already on board.

First-Time Home Buyer programme: Banks and Dubai developers

Participating developers include Azizi Developments, Beyond Developments, Binghatti Holding, DAMAC Properties, Danube Properties, Dubai Properties, Ellington Properties, Emaar Properties, Majid Al Futtaim Group, Meraas, Nakheel, Palma Holding, and Wasl.

These partners will support to first-time home buyers through priority access to units in new off-plan launches, and enhanced commercial terms, including preferential pricing on units up to Dhs5m.

Participating banks include Commercial Bank of Dubai, Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates NBD, Emirates Islamic and Mashreq bank will provide tailored mortgage products designed specifically for eligible buyers.

The programme will continue to onboard new partners post the launch to increase the choice for first time home buyers.

Created for all nationalities and income levels, the programme is open to applicants aged 18 and above who are residents of the UAE, and who do not currently own a freehold residential property in Dubai.

Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said: “This initiative represents a powerful economic lever, stimulating long-term demand, driving liquidity into the real estate ecosystem, and accelerating the sector’s contribution to GDP in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.

“By lowering entry barriers to homeownership for Emiratis and expatriates alike, we are enhancing investor confidence, increasing market absorption rates, and reinforcing Dubai’s global positioning as a city where personal aspirations and business ambitions converge.

“In a global climate where housing accessibility is a structural challenge, Dubai is offering a model of sustainable urban development, one that supports talent retention, fosters community cohesion, and enhances the city’s competitiveness as a place to live, work, and invest.

Omar Bu Shehab, director general of Dubai Land Department (DLD), said: “The First-Time Home Buyer programme embodies Dubai’s strategic vision for a more inclusive, transparent, and accessible real estate market. By easing entry into homeownership, we empower individuals and families to invest in their futures while supporting the Dubai Real Estate Strategy 2033’s broader objectives and Dubai Economic Agenda D33.

This initiative is a key driver of market resilience and positions Dubai as a global benchmark for sustainable urban development.”

Read: Dubai launches tokenised real estate investment project via ‘Prypco Mint’

Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company has agreed to acquire a 30 per cent stake in Loscam International, a leading provider of pallet pooling and returnable packaging solutions in the Asia-Pacific region.

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Mubadala joins existing shareholders Trustar Capital—the private equity arm of CITIC Capital Holdings—FountainVest Partners, and Sinotrans Limited, a subsidiary of China Merchants Group.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, Loscam operates across 12 markets including Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and Greater China.

The company supplies sustainable logistics and pooling solutions to major players in fast-moving consumer goods, retail, and manufacturing sectors.

Founded in 1942, Loscam has built a long-standing reputation for improving supply chain efficiency across the region.

The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

Oil prices edged higher on Tuesday as investors took stock of positive demand indicators, while also treading cautiously ahead of an OPEC+ meeting to decide the group‘s August output policy.

Brent crude LCOc1 settled up 37 cents, or 0.6 per cent, at $67.11 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 settled 34 cents higher, or up around 0.5 per cent, at $65.45 a barrel.

The gains were likely due to supportive data from a private-sector survey in China, which showed factory activity returned to expansion in June, said Randall Rothenberg, a risk intelligence expert at US oil brokerage Liquidity Energy.

Expectations that Saudi Arabia will raise its August crude oil prices for buyers in Asia to a four-month high as well as firm premiums for Russian ESPO Blend crude oil were also supporting the notion of robust demand, Rothenberg said.

Oil‘s gains were kept in check by expectations that the OPEC+ group will boost its August crude oil output by an amount similar to the outsized hikes agreed in May, June, and July. Four OPEC+ sources told Reuters last week the group plans to raise output by 411,000 barrels per day next month when it meets on July 6.

“All eyes will be on OPEC+’s decision over the weekend, when the group is expected to add another 411,000 bpd of production in an effort to gain more market share, primarily over the US shale producers,” StoneX energy analyst Alex Hodes told clients.

Besides gaining market share from US shale producers, which pumped oil at a record pace in April, according to official data released on Monday, the group has also been trying to punish overproducing members.

OPEC+ member Kazakhstan, one of the world’s 10 largest oil producers, raised oil production last month to match an all-time high, a source familiar with the data told Reuters on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of the OPEC+ group, raised its June crude oil exports to the fastest rate in a year, data from Kpler showed.

“These exports are flooding out even faster than the OPEC+ deal implies during the summer, when peak domestic demand typically keeps oil supplies closer to home,” Hodes said.

In the US, crude oil inventories rose by 680,000 barrels in the past week, according to sources citing figures from the American Petroleum Institute. Official data from the Energy Information Administration is due Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. ET. API/S

Trump and tariffs

Investors are also watching trade negotiations ahead of US President Donald Trump’s tariff deadline of July 9. Trump on Tuesday said he is not thinking of extending the deadline.

A trade deal with India was very close, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday. Trump also said the US will possibly have a deal with India, but he added that he doubts there will be a deal with Japan.

Bessent also warned countries could be notified of sharply higher tariffs despite good-faith negotiations as the July 9 deadline approaches, when tariff rates are scheduled to revert from a temporary 10 per cent level to the ones Trump announced on April 2 and then suspended.

The European Union wants immediate relief from tariffs in key sectors as part of any trade deal with the US, EU diplomats told Reuters.