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Most stock markets in the Gulf ended higher on Tuesday as a slew of corporate earnings lifted investor sentiment, although regional tensions limited gains.
Saudi Arabia's benchmark index <.TASI> edged 0.1% higher, helped by a 1.4% rise in Al Rajhi Bank <1120.SE> and a 3.1% increase in Saudi Arabian Mining Company <1211.SE>.
Elsewhere, Mobile Telecommunications Saudi Arabia <7030.SE>, known as Zain KSA, added 0.4% following a rise in quarterly net profit.
Separately, the kingdom's investment minister said on Tuesday the number of companies in the kingdom with a regional headquarters had reached 540, ahead of a 2030 target of 500.
In Abu Dhabi, the index <.FTFADGI> closed 0.1% higher, supported by a 0.4% increase in diversified holding firm Borouge <BOROUGE.AD>.
Dubai's main share index <.DFMGI> advanced 1%, with toll operator Salik Co <SALIK.DU> rising 1.3%, and Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corp <EMPOWER.DU> putting on 1.8%.
Oil prices - a catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets - rose more than 1%, reversing some of the previous session's 6% tumble, as a U.S. plan to buy oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) provided some support, though wider concerns about weaker future demand growth exerted pressure.
The Qatari index <.QSI> gained 0.8%, with the Gulf's biggest lender Qatar National Bank <QNBK.QA> climbing 1.1%, while petrochemical maker Industries Qatar <IQCD.QA> rose 0.7% ahead of its earnings announcement.
Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index <.EGX30> dropped 0.5%, hit by a 1.1% fall in Commercial International Bank <COMI.CA>.
SAUDI ARABIA | <.TASI> added 0.1% to 12,062 |
ABU DHABI | <.FTFADGI> rose 0.1% to 9,312 |
DUBAI | <.DFMGI> advanced 1% to 4,583 |
QATAR | <.QSI> gained 0.8% to 10,591 |
EGYPT | <.EGX30> lost 0.5% to 30,620 |
BAHRAIN | <.BAX> added 0.3% to 2,017 |
OMAN | <.MSX30> lost 0.6% to 4,766 |
KUWAIT | <.BKP> finished flat at 7,611 |
(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Alex Richardson)