Mubasher: The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) joined Nasdaq Dubai’s equity futures market as a market maker, according to a statement.

NBAD, which is “the UAE’s second largest bank by assets”, brings substantial financial expertise and capacity to support trading activity by investors.

Being the second financial institution to sign up as a market maker, the bank’s role includes offering buy and sell prices in futures contracts. The bank will begin offering prices before the end of 2016.

“A total of 160,552 contracts have traded since the market opened and activity has increased more than 500%,” the statement added.

The market consists of single stock futures on contracts Emaar Properties, DXB Entertainments, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Aldar Properties, Arabtec Holding, DP World, Dubai Islamic Bank, Etisalat and Union Properties.