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Investors talk with each other as they monitor a screen displaying stock information at the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia June 29, 2016.Faisal Al Nasser REUTERS
Major stock markets in the Gulf closed lower on Wednesday amid falling oil prices, as investors remained cautious ahead of Sunday's scheduled OPEC+ meeting.
Oil prices - a catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets - declined 2.7% as traders awaited news from the OPEC+ producers group which is likely to extend or even deepen oil supply cuts into next year. Brent was trading at $80.22 a barrel by 1300 GMT.
Saudi Arabia's benchmark index fell 0.3%, weighed down by a 2.2% slide in the Kingdom's largest lender Saudi National Bank and a 2.9% decline in Almunajem Foods.
In Abu Dhabi, the benchmark index was down for a second consecutive session, ending 0.1% lower, with Q Holding dropping 2.1% and UAE's largest lender First Abu Dhabi Bank declining by 1.3%.
The Qatari index fell marginally as the gains in most sectors limited loses in finance and consumer staples sectors. Industries Qatar added 0.5% and Qatar Electricity and Water gained 0.9%, while Qatar International Islamic Bank and Baladna shed 1.7% and 1.8%, respectively.
Dubai's benchmark index was up 0.3%, ending the previous session's losses, aided by a 1% gain in tolls operator Salik and a 1.9% rise in Tecom Group.
Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index extended its rally to a second session and ended 1% higher with most sectors in the green. Commercial International Bank gained 1.3% and Talaat Mostafa Group Holding Co surged 4.2%.
SAUDI ARABIA fell 0.3% to 11,100 KUWAIT added 0.1% to 7,302 QATAR lost 0.03% to 10,223 EGYPT was up 1% to 25,030 BAHRAIN added 0.1% to 1,948 OMAN Closed ABU DHABI dropped 0.1% to 9,533 DUBAI gained 0.3% to 3,997
(Reporting by Md Manzer Hussain; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)