(Reuters) – Most major stock markets in the Gulf eased in the early trade on Thursday as geopolitical tensions in the region kept investors on their toes, although the Dubai index bucked the trend to trade higher.
Israel launched strikes on the Syrian capital Damascus and a military site near the western city of Homs on Thursday, the Syrian defence ministry said, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken toured the region pushing for a halt to fighting.
World powers are meeting in Paris on Thursday aiming to raise at least 500 million euros in urgent humanitarian aid for Lebanon and push for a ceasefire, but with the U.S. focused on its own efforts, diplomats said they expect little concrete progress.
Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index dropped 0.3%, hit by a 0.6% fall in Al Rajhi Bank and a 0.4% decrease in the country’s biggest lender Saudi National Bank.
Elsewhere, oil behemoth Saudi Aramco was flat, as J.P. Morgan slashed its target price to 32 riyals ($8.52) from 34 riyals earlier.
Dubai’s main share index gained 0.3%, with blue-chip developer Emaar Properties rising 1.1% and Dubai Taxi Company advancing 2.9%.
In Abu Dhabi, the index eased 0.1%, weighed down by a 0.4% fall in conglomerated International Holding Co (IHC).
IHC said on Wednesday its subsidiary International Tech Group acquired an additional 46% stake in Emircon for 292 million dirhams ($79.51 million).
On the other hand, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank climbed 2.2%, after beating forecasts with a 23% rise in third-quarter profit.
The Qatari benchmark eased 0.1%, with Commercial Bank losing 1.5%.
($1 = 3.7552 riyals)
($1 = 3.6727 UAE dirham)
(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Eileen Soreng)
