Most major stock markets in the Gulf rose in early trade on Thursday ahead of corporate earnings announcement, although the Saudi index bucked the trend to trade lower.

Dubai's main share index added 0.2%, helped by a 1.1% rise in blue-chip developer Emaar Properties.

Elsewhere, Dubai Financial Market added 0.7%, ahead of its results.

In Abu Dhabi, the index was up 0.1%, with Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) rising 2.4%, on course to extend gains for a third consecutive session.

On Monday, ADCB reported a higher fourth-quarter net profit of 2.57 billion dirhams ($699.78 million), along with annual dividend of 0.59 dirhams.

Additionally, the bank projected doubling of net profits to 20 billion dirhams within five years.

The Qatari benchmark edged 0.1% higher, supported by a 2.5% increase in Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding Company as the firm is slated to report its 2024 earnings.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark index fell 0.1%, hit by a 0.8% fall in Al Rajhi Bank.

In the previous session, the lender advanced 4.7%, after the lender reported an 18.7% surge in its net profit to 19.72 billion riyals ($5.26 billion) for 2024. Also, Al Rajhi proposed a second-half cash dividend of 1.46 riyal per share, up from 1.15 riyal a year earlier.

Alinma Bank dropped about 2%, despite reporting a higher annual profit.

Separately, Arabian Company for Agricultural and Industrial Investment, also known as Entaj, plans to offer investors shares through an initial public offering (IPO) in Riyadh, it said on Thursday.

($1 = 3.7508 riyals) ($1 = 3.6726 UAE dirham)

(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)