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☆ Gulf bourses drop amid hawkish Fed tone, Mideast conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Md Manzer Hussain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 22 (Reuters) - Stock markets in the Gulf fell on Sunday amid warnings of possible further interest rate hikes from the U.S Federal Reserve, and worries of escalation in the Middle East conflict. Monetary policy in the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is usually guided by Fed policy decisions because most regional currencies are pegged to the U.S. dollar. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) was down for a third consecutive session, ending 1.5% lower, with all sectors in the red. Elm Company (7203.SE) dropped 2.3%, while Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE), the world's largest Islamic bank by assets, slipped 2.1%. The Qatari index (.QSI) fell for a fifth straight session, ending 0.9% lower, with Industries Qatar (IQCD.QA) dropping 2.2% and Qatar Navigation (QNNC.QA) sliding 3%.

Persons: Joe Biden, Hamad I Mohammed, Jerome Powell, Talaat Mostafa, Md Manzer Hussain, David Holmes Organizations: Bahrain Bourse, U.S, REUTERS, Stock, U.S Federal Reserve, Gulf Cooperation Council, U.S ., Elm Company, Al Rajhi Bank, Industries Qatar, Qatar Navigation, Qatar National Bank, Eastern Co, Gaza, Thomson Locations: Bahrain, Manama, Saudi, Israel, Lebanon, Syria

☆ Major Gulf bourses drop amid surging Gaza-Israel conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Md Manzer Hussain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Mohammed Salem Acquire Licensing RightsOct 8 (Reuters) - Major stock markets in the Gulf tumbled on Sunday amid worries that rising conflict between Palestinian group Hamas and Israel threatens to spiral. The index was dragged down by losses in all sectors, with Lumi Rental (4262.SE) down 5% and Etihad Atheeb Telecommunication (7040.SE) dropping 5.3%. Saudi Aramco Base Oil (2223.SE) (Luberef)dropped 6.8% and the world's largest Islamic bank by assets, Al Rajhi Bank(1120.SE) slipped 2.1%. The Qatari index (.QSI) fell for a third straight session, ending 0.6% lower, with most sectors in the red. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) plunged 2.6%, the steepest drop in nearly three months.

Persons: Mohammed Salem, Md Manzer Hussain, Bernadette Baum Organizations: REUTERS, Lumi, Etihad Atheeb Telecommunication, Saudi Aramco Base Oil, Al Rajhi Bank, . Industries Qatar, Commercial Bank, Commercial International Bank, Finance, Digital, Financial, Telecom Egypt, Fawry Banking, Thomson Locations: Gaza City, Palestinian, Israel, Gaza, East, Saudi

☆ Most Gulf markets extend losses on profit-taking; Egypt gains
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Ateeq Shariff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 17 (Reuters) - Most stock markets in the Gulf ended lower on Sunday as profit-taking continued, but the Egyptian index bucked the trend to trade at a record high. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) dropped 0.5%, weighed down by a 1.1% fall in Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE) and a 1.7% decrease in Alinma Bank (1150.SE). In Qatar, the index (.QSI) extended losses for a third session. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) gained 0.6%, hitting its record high, led by a 5.5% rise in Beltone Financial Holding (BTFH.CA). Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru Editing by Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Joe Biden, Hamad I Mohammed, ADES, Ateeq, Christina Fincher Organizations: Bahrain Bourse, U.S, REUTERS, Saudi, Al Rajhi Bank, Alinma Bank, Beltone Financial, UAE's Global Investment Holding, Eastern Co, Thomson Locations: Bahrain, Manama, Al Rajhi, Qatar, Eastern, Ateeq Shariff, Bengaluru

☆ Qatar stock market ends lower, Egypt rises
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Md Manzer Hussain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Qatari Stock index (.QSI) dropped 0.1%, extending its losses to a second session with Gulf's biggest lender Qatar National Bank (QNBK.QA) falling 0.2% and Qatar Islamic Bank (QISB.QA) shedding 1.1%. Among the losers, Lesha Bank (QFBQ.QA) and Dukhan Bank (DUBK.QA) lost 1.1% and 1.3% respectively. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) added marginally as losses in energy and financial sectors countered gains in most of the sectors. Dr Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Services (4013.SE) climbed 2.5% and Mouwasat Medical Services (4002.SE) surged 6.1%. However, Riyad Bank (1010.SE) and the world's largest Islamic bank by assets Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE) lost 2.1% and 0.7% respectively.

Persons: Christopher Waller, Dr Sulaiman Al, Md Manzer Hussain, David Evans Organizations: . Federal, United Arab, Qatar National Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Lesha Bank, Dukhan Bank, Habib Medical Services, Mouwasat Medical Services, Riyad Bank, Al Rajhi Bank, Co, International Finance Corporation, IFC, Thomson Locations: United States, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi, El

☆ Most Gulf markets gain after US debt deal, job data
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Ateeq Shariff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 4 (Reuters) - Most stock markets in the Gulf ended higher on Sunday after the U.S. Congress passed a debt ceiling deal that averted a government default in the world's biggest economy, while jobs data fuelled hopes for a possible pause in Fed rate hikes. Oil prices - a key catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets - rose more than 2% on Friday after the U.S. debt deal and jobs data. In Qatar, the index (.QSI) finished 1.8% higher, with almost all the stocks closing in positive territory including Qatar Islamic Bank (QISB.QA), which gained 2.1%. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) eased 0.4%, hit by a 0.7% fall in top lender Commercial International Bank (COMI.CA). Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by David HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Joe Biden, Ateeq, David Holmes Organizations: U.S, Congress, Saturday, Al Rajhi Bank, Riyad Bank, Gulf Cooperation, Saudi, Qatar Islamic Bank, Commercial International Bank, Saudi Arabia's Milling, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Saudi, Al Rajhi, Gulf, Qatar, Ateeq Shariff, Bengaluru

There's a burgeoning bull case for Saudi Arabia stocks. The iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA) is up more than 8% year to date and almost 20% over a three-year period. The MSCI Saudi Arabia Index is composed of almost 45% in financials, followed by 22.1% in materials, mostly consisting of petrochemicals groups. More foreign investment The kingdom's Vision 2030 economic blueprint aims to raise foreign direct investment contributions to 5.7% by 2030 from 0.7% currently . Another fund that does this is the Franklin FTSE Saudi Arabia ETF (FLSA) .

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Carlos Asilis, Ramzi Sidani, — it's, they've, It's, Andrew Miller, Miller, Glovista's, HSBC's Sidani, Mondrian, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Glovista Investments, JPMorgan —, HSBC's Global Research, Saudi, HSBC's Frontier Equity, United Arab Emirates, Mondrian Investment Partners, Franklin FTSE, Franklin FTSE Saudi Arabia, Aramco, Al, Al Rajhi Bank Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Russia, Ukraine, East, Korea, Australia, Chile, Poland, financials, Qatar, Franklin FTSE Saudi, Al Rajhi

☆ Most Gulf markets end lower, Egypt ekes out gains
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Most Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Saudi, have their currencies pegged to the dollar and generally follow the Fed's policy moves, exposing the region relatively directly to any monetary tightening there. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) lost 0.4%, with Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE) declining 1% and Dr Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Services (4013.SE) finishing 1.4% lower. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) gained 0.5%, led by an 11.3% jump in Edita Food Industries (EFID.CA). On the other hand, Egypt has deferred payments for its large wheat purchases, in some cases by months, according to a government official and traders, as the country grapples with a shortage of hard currency. Egypt is one of the world's biggest wheat importers and uses the purchases to make heavily subsidised bread available to tens of millions of people.

☆ Saudi stocks gain on rising oil prices; Qatar falls
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Ateeq Shariff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 16 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's stock markets ended higher on Sunday after Friday's rise in oil prices, although the Qatari index extended losses for a second session. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) gained 0.6%, led by a 1.2% increase in Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE), while oil giant Saudi Aramco (2223.SE) added 0.8%. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman launched on Thursday four new Special Economic Zones in Saudi Arabia, state media reported on Thursday after the market had closed, citing a statement. In Qatar, the index (.QSI) fell 0.4%, extending losses for a second session, with petrochemical maker Industries Qatar (IQCD.QA) losing 1.5%. Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Sharon SingletonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Saudi leads most Gulf bourses higher; Egypt down
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Md Manzer Hussain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 19(Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's stock market closed higher on Sunday to outperform the Gulf region, amid expectations of a lower interest rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve in the aftermath of the collapse of two big regional banks. Most Gulf currencies are pegged to the U.S. dollar, while Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar usually mirror U.S. monetary policy changes. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) ended its five sessions losing streak, jumping 1.8%, the highest intraday rise since Dec 13. The index heavyweight Islamic banks Qatar Islamic Bank (QISB.QA) and Masraf Al Rayan (MARK.QA) rose 1.9% and 3.2% respectively. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) dropped 0.2%, extending its looses into a sixth sessions.

☆ Most Middle Eastern stock markets in red as bank worries spread
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Ateeq Shariff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 12 (Reuters) - Most stock markets in the Middle East ended lower on Sunday, with the Egyptian bourse leading the declines, in response to Friday's fall in global shares over fears of contagion following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) (SIVB.O). The startup-focused lender became the largest bank to fail since the 2008 financial crisis on Friday, roiling global markets and leaving billions of dollars belonging to companies and investors stranded. In Qatar, the index (.QSI) slid 1.6%, as almost all the stocks were in negative territory including Qatar Islamic Bank (QISB.QA), which tumbled 3.9%. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) dropped 0.8%, weighed down by a 1.7% fall in Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE) and a 0.8% decrease in Retal Urban Development CO (4322.SE). Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) tumbled 3.1%, with 28 of thirty one stocks on the index trading red, including top lender Commercial International Bank (COMI.CA), which was down 1.8%.

☆ Saudi bourse gains on upbeat earnings, non-oil activity; Egypt falls
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Ateeq Shariff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 5 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's stock market extended gains for a third session on Sunday on buoyant earnings and upbeat non-oil business activity, while the Egyptian bourse fell further on profit taking. The kingdom's non-oil business sector activity soared to its highest level in eight years in February, a survey showed on Sunday, based on a strong increase in demand and an optimistic economic outlook. "However, the developments in oil markets could still have an uncertain impact on Saudi stocks due to the current volatility." Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) eased 0.1%, extending losses on profit-taking after the market hit a high in February. According to a media report, the telecom firm and Huawei Egypt inked a cooperation agreement to foster cooperation in digital transformation.

☆ Most Gulf markets open lower on weak oil prices, rate-hike bets
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 27 (Reuters) - Most major Gulf markets opened lower on Monday, tracking Asian peers and weaker oil prices, as fears of further rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve dampened investors' risk appetite. Saudi Arabia's benchmark stock index (.TASI) fell 0.2%, extending losses to a seventh consecutive session. The Qatari Stock index (.QSI) eased 0.1%, dragged down by losses in financial stocks. Bucking the trend, Dubai's benchmark index (.DFMGI) rose 0.4%, lifted by gains in property and banking shares. ($1 = 3.7519 riyals)Reporting by Shamsuddin Mohd in Bengaluru; editing by Eileen SorengOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Banks, real estate shares weigh on Saudi; insurer lifts Qatar
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Shamsuddin Mohd | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 26 (Reuters) - Major stock markets in the Gulf ended mixed on Sunday, with Saudi Arabia's index pressured by real estate and banking shares, but a 10% surge in Qatar Insurance (QINS.QA) lifted the Qatari index. Among other stocks, Saudi Tadawul Group fell 4.7% after its annual profit declined more than 27% to 424.6 million riyals ($113.17 million). Middle East Healthcare (4009.SE) jumped 10% after its annual profit soared more than 300% compared to a year earlier. The Qatari Stock index (.QSI) rose 0.7%, ending three consecutive sessions of losses, buoyed by its financial stocks. The insurer on Wednesday hit a more than 13-year low after reporting a consolidated net loss of 637 million riyals ($174.14 million) for fiscal year 2022, compared to a profit of 630 million riyals ($172.23 million) a year earlier.

☆ Major Gulf bourses drop on Fed's hawkish tone
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Md Manzer Hussain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Major Gulf bourses closed lower on Thursday as investors remained cautious after the U.S. Federal Reserve's minutes from latest meeting reinforced a hawkish tone, although the Egyptian index bucked the trend. Most Gulf currencies are pegged to the U.S. dollar, while Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar usually mirror U.S. monetary policy changes. With steepest intraday decline since Jan. 17, the index witnessed losses in almost all sectors, led by financial and energy stocks. The gulf region's largest lender Qatar National Bank (QNBK.QA) declined 2.1% and Qatar Islamic Bank (QISB.QA) plunged 9.6%, the sharpest intraday slide since March 2020 as the stock traded ex-dividend. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) rose 1.4%, snapping its previous session losses.

☆ Saudi bourse falls on Fed worries; Qatar gains
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Ateeq Shariff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 19 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's stock market closed lower on Sunday after U.S. economic data stoked fears the Federal Reserve will act more aggressively to curb inflation. Most Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have their currencies pegged to the U.S. dollar and follow the Fed's policy moves closely, exposing the region to a direct impact from monetary tightening in the world's largest economy. The benchmark index (.TASI) in Saudi Arabia dropped 0.5%, dragged down by a 2.1% slide in Retal Urban Development Co (4322.SE) and a 0.9% decrease Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE). In Qatar, the index (.QSI) bucked the trend to finish 0.7% higher, led by a 3.4% rise in the Gulf's biggest lender Qatar National Bank (QNBK.QA). ** Markets in Kuwait and Oman were closed for a holidayReporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Saudi Arabian shares drop on lower oil prices; Egypt rises
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Md Manzer Hussain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 5 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabian stock market closed lower on Sunday, in response to fall in oil prices on Friday amid concern about the European Union embargo on Russian refined products. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister warned on Saturday that sanctions and underinvestment in the energy sector could result in a shortage of energy supplies in future. The European Union has imposed a series of sanctions against Russia, reducing Russian energy exports. Saudi oil giant Aramco (2222.SE) sank 1.5%, while the world's largest Islamic bank by market capitalization, Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE), dropped 1.9%. Qatar's stock index (.QSI) ended down 0.4%, with almost all its constituent stocks in negative territory.

☆ Gulf stocks rise on hope of slower Fed rate hikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Md Manzer Hussain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 29 (Reuters) - Stock markets in the Gulf ended higher on Sunday after cooling U.S. inflation lifted expectations the Federal Reserve would slow its pace of interest rate hikes. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) rose 0.2%, supported by gains in financial and energy sector stocks. The Qatari Stock index (.QSI) rose 0.4%, with most of its constituent stocks in positive territory. The bank reported Tuesday a more than 22% rise in FY net profit, beating analyst's expectations. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) surged 3.7%, its highest intraday rise since November.

☆ Gulf markets rise on China demand optimism
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Md Manzer Hussain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Jan 24 (Reuters) - Gulf stock markets closed higher on Tuesday on expectations of economic recovery in the world's second largest economy, China, and smaller interest rate hikes from the U.S. Federal Reserve. Most Gulf currencies are pegged to the U.S. dollar, while Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar usually mirror U.S. monetary policy changes. The world's largest Islamic bank by market capitalization, Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE), rose 0.8%. Qatar Islamic Bank (QISB.QA) continued its gains with a 2.3% rise and Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB.QA) rose 1.7%. Egypt has signed a $1.5 billion financing agreement with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation to fund its trading, including imports of energy products and essential commodities.

☆ Major Gulf stocks rise on higher oil prices, China demand prospects
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Md Manzer Hussain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 22 (Reuters) - Most major Gulf markets ended higher on Sunday, reflecting Friday's rise in oil prices driven by prospects that an upbeat economic growth outlook from China could signal increased fuel demand in the world's second-largest economy. Oil, which fuels the region's economies, settled up about $1 a barrel on Friday, with Brent crude at $87.63 a barrel, up $1.47 or 1.7%. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) rose 0.4%, supported by a 1.5% gain in luxury real estate developer Retal Urban Development (4322.SE) and a 0.8% rise in oil giant Aramco (2222.SE). Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE), the world's largest Islamic bank by market capitalization, rose 0.5%. The Gulf's biggest lender Qatar National Bank (QNBK.QA) continued its rally with a 2.3% gain and Qatar Islamic Bank (QISB.QA) rose 1.3%.

☆ Gulf shares start new year in upbeat mood, Egypt outperforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Shamsuddin Mohd | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Jan 2 (Reuters) - Most major Gulf equities got off to a good 2023 start on Monday, with Egypt outperforming regional peers, as investors shrugged off concerns about a potential recession, crude oil demand and the U.S. Fed hiking rates further. Crude prices, which are highly correlated with Gulf financial markets, swung wildly in 2022 and are expected to remain under pressure in 2023. Abu Dhabi's index (.FTFADGI) advanced 0.4% on Monday, bolstered by a 0.6% increase in the country's largest lender First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB.AD). The Qatari index last year posted its first annual loss since 2017, dropping 8.1% in 2022. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) closed 2.5% higher, with Commercial International Bank Egypt (COMI.CA) climbing 3.1% while Abu Qir Fertilizers And Chemical Industries (ABUK.CA) was up 5.2%.

☆ Egypt leads 2022 gains, Saudi marks first annual loss in 7 years
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Dec 29 (Reuters) - The Saudi Arabian stock market ended lower on Wednesday, marking its first annual loss in seven years, while the Egyptian bourse was the Middle East's best performer in 2022. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) eased 0.1%, hit by a 1.1% fall in Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE). According to Wael Makarem, senior market strategist – MENA at Exness, stock markets have witnessed a difficult period in 2022 as inflation, rising interest rates and the war in Ukraine strongly impacted investor sentiment. The kingdom's largest lender, Saudi National Bank (1180.SE), finished 1.2% higher. Oil prices - a key catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets - surged 80% earlier this year before giving up most gains.

☆ Gulf markets rise on China optimism, Saudi leads
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Ateeq Shariff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

China will stop requiring inbound travellers to go into quarantine starting from Jan. 8, the National Health Commission said on Monday. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) gained 1.3%, led by a 1.8% rise in Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE) and a 1.9% increase in oil giant Saudi Aramco (2222.SE). The Saudi stock market rose today while oil markets' prospects improved with China opening up, said Fadi Reyad, chief market analyst at CAPEX.com. "However, the main index remains near its lowest levels this year and could be at risk of other price corrections." According to Reyad, the Qatari index continued to decline under the weight of the natural gas market's performance.

☆ Most Gulf markets rise as China eases COVID curbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

China will stop requiring inbound travellers to go into quarantine starting from Jan. 8, the National Health Commission said on Monday. It will also downgrade the seriousness of COVID as it has become less virulent and will gradually evolve into a common respiratory infection. The announcement buoyed other Asian markets as well, with the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index (.MIAPJ0000PUS) rising 0.53%. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) gained 0.6%, led by a 1.4% rise in Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE) and a 1.1% gain in oil giant Saudi Aramco (2222.SE). Dubai's main share index (.DFMGI) added 0.1%, helped by a 0.4% rise in top lender Emirates NBD (ENBD.DU).

☆ Saudi ends higher on oil prices; most Gulf markets in red
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( Ateeq Shariff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 25 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabian stocks climbed on Sunday in response to Friday's rise in oil prices, while most other bourses in the Gulf were in the red on global economic concerns. Oil prices settled about $3 per barrel higher on Friday for a second straight week of gains after Moscow said it could cut crude output in response to the G7 imposing a price cap on Russian exports. The Saudi bourse could maintain a stronger profile this week if oil prices continue to move to the upside, said Daniel Takieddine, CEO MENA at BDSwiss. According to Takieddine, the Qatari market saw additional price corrections after last week's pause as natural gas prices remained very volatile. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) was down 0.7%, extending losses from the previous session.

☆ Saudi leads fall in major Gulf markets amid Fed policy jitters
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 12 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's stock market dropped in early trade on Monday, leading declines in the Gulf region ahead of interest rate decision from the U.S. Federal Reserve. The Fed is widely expected to raise rates by 50 basis points at its last meeting of 2022 on Wednesday. Investors will also focus on the central bank's updated economic projections and Fed Chair Jerome Powell's press conference. Dubai's main share index (.DFMGI) fell 0.6%, hit by a 1.5% fall in top lender Emirates NBD (ENBD.DU). The Qatari index (.QSI) slipped 1.4%, as most of the stocks in the index were in neagtive territory including the Gulf's biggest lender Qatar National Bank (QNBK.QA), down 2.2%.

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