Trading resumed on the Damascus Securities Exchange (DSE) on June 2, 2025, after a six-month closure prompted by the chaotic ouster of former President Bashar Assad in December 2024. The reopening, attended by Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh, signals efforts to revive Syria’s economy, battered by nearly 14 years of civil war. The DSE, established in 2009, will operate as a private company with a focus on digital development, aiming to serve as a hub for economic growth and attract investment. Only 14 of the 28 listed companies resumed trading, having met disclosure requirements, with trading initially limited to three days a week. The move aligns with easing international sanctions, including recent U.S. and EU lifts, and follows a $7 billion energy deal with Qatari, Turkish, and U.S. firms to build a 5,000-megawatt power project. Despite optimism, challenges remain, including a 45% drop in the Syrian pound’s value and a 40% decline in the DSE’s value between 2011 and 2012, reflecting the war’s economic toll.
