Companies will now be able to list in dirhams or dollars on the Dubai International Financial Exchange (DIFX) and the bourse plans to extend hours and open on Sundays from November, its chief executive said on Tuesday.

'Companies will have the choice to list in either dirhams or dollars,' Jeffrey Singer told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday. 'If existing companies want to convert to dirhams, they need to take it to the shareholders.'

The DIFX was operationally ready for dirham trading and by the end of this week the system would be ready Singer said. 'Next month, we will be open on Sundays and longer hours,' he added.

Singer said the exchange was also on track to introduce derivatives trading in November.-Reuters