PHOTO
Stock markets in the Gulf tracked global shares lower on Thursday as tension between Russia and Ukraine kept investors on edge, while Egypt's index snapped a four-day losing streak.
Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile during an attack on Ukraine, Kyiv's air force said, after Ukraine fired U.S. and British missiles at targets inside Russia this week.
The Abu Dhabi benchmark index <.FTFADGI> was down 1% with most of its constituent shares falling. First Abu Dhabi Bank <FAB.AD>, the UAE's largest lender, dropped 2.1% and Abu Dhabi Ports <ADPORTS.AD> lost 0.6%.
UAE port operator, AD Ports, has signed a framework agreement with the Egyptian Government to build, operate and transfer an economic zone in East Port Said.
Abu Dhabi's largest listed firm, International Holding <IHC.AD>, which has investments in Indian conglomerate Adani Group companies, eased 0.3%, after chairman Gautam Adani was indicted by U.S. prosecutors for his alleged role in a $265 million scheme to bribe Indian officials.
Seven of IHC's eight listed subsidiaries also fell by more than 1%.
Dubai's benchmark stock index <.DFMGI> retreated from a more than 10-year high hit in the previous session to stand 0.7% lower on the day, with Emaar Properties <EMAR.DU> down 2.2% and Dubai Islamic Bank <DISB.DU> off 3.3%.
The Qatari benchmark index <.QSI> fell 0.4% and posted its second straight weekly loss. Qatar Islamic Bank <QISB.QA> was down 1.7%, and Ooredoo <ORDS.QA> lost 0.9%.
Saudi Arabia's benchmark stock index <.TASI> eased 0.2% for a second straight session of losses. ACWA Power <2082.SE> dropped 1.9% and Saudi National Bank <1180.SE>, the kingdom's largest lender, fell 0.6%.
Jabal Omar Development <4250.SE> rose 1.9% after the developer said it had sold a land plot in Makkah worth 1.07 billion riyals ($285.00 million).
"GCC markets exhibited mostly negative performance, influenced by heightened geopolitical tensions stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict," said Ahmed Negm, head of market research, MENA at XS.com.
Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index <.EGX30> broke a four-day losing run to close 0.1% higher. Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt rose 3.3% after the Islamic lender reported a 137% increase in 9-month net profit.
The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday that its mission has made substantial progress on policy discussions toward the completion of the fourth review of Egypt's loan programme.
SAUDI ARABIA | <.TASI> down 0.2% to 11,841 |
KUWAIT | <.BKP> fell 0.4% to 7,836 |
QATAR | <.QSI> lost 0.4% to 10,395 |
EGYPT | <.EGX30> gained 0.1% to 30,632 |
BAHRAIN | <.BAX> down 0.4% to 2,034 |
OMAN | <.MSX30> lost 0.4% to 4,609 |
ABU DHABI | <.FTFADGI> dropped 1% to 9,313 |
DUBAI | <.DFMGI> down 0.7% to 4,730 |
($1 = 3.6727 UAE dirham)
($1 = 3.7544 riyals)
(Reporting by Md Manzer Hussain; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)