DUBAI, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Here are some factors that may affect Middle East stock markets on Sunday. Reuters has not verified the press reports and does not vouch for their accuracy.
INTERNATIONAL/REGIONAL
* GLOBAL MARKETS-Week of U.S. political drama hurts stocks, dollar
* MIDEAST STOCKS-Major Gulf bourses end week on firm footing, Egypt slips
* Oil jumps 3 pct as dollar falls, U.S. rig count drops
* PRECIOUS-Gold near flat after surging to 9-month high on geopolitical worries
* Lebanese army, Hezbollah announce offensives against Islamic State on Syrian border
* Iraqi forces prepare to retake Tal Afar from Islamic State militants
* U.S. Defense Secretary Mattis to visit Jordan, Turkey, Ukraine
* Yemen violence worsening, more access to north needed: U.N.
* Clashes kill two in Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon
* Tunisia's interim finance minister quits over conflict of interests case
* Erdogan tells Turks in Germany to vote against Merkel
* Assad advisor says Syria war nearing its end
* Middle East Crude-Benchmarks hold firm, Russian premiums at multi-month high
* Assad advisor says Syria war nearing its end
* SPECIAL REPORT-How Syria continued to gas its people as the world looked on
* Gulf project awards slumped in H1 but will pick up -MEED study
* Shell lifts its first crude cargo from Libya in 5 years - industry sources
EGYPT
* Egypt's central bank keeps key interest rates unchanged
* Egypt's ESIIC buys 50,000 tonnes of raw sugar in tender -trade
* Egypt's GB Auto sees demand revival as dealers' inventories fall
* Egypt's first bitcoin exchange to begin trading this month
* Two killed on Gaza-Egypt border in confrontation between Hamas and rival Islamist militants
* INTERVIEW-New Egyptian law to allow companies to register within hours
* Average yields rise on Egypt's six-month, one-year T-bills
* Egypt's central bank says to hold auction for 1-year euro-denominated T-bills
SAUDI ARABIA
* Saudi central bank says Qatari pilgrims can change riyals
* Saudi Arabia installing cranes at Yemen ports to boost aid delivery
* Saudi coalition to blame for half of Yemen child casualties: draft U.N. report
* Saudi Arabia to restart work on $26.6 bln Grand Mosque expansion
* Saudi Arabia tenders to buy 480,000 tonnes hard wheat
* BRIEF-Saudi's Fawaz Alhokair Q1 profit rises
* Saudi Arabia crude oil exports fall slightly in June -JODI
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
* Future of Air Berlin's Niki uncertain as Lufthansa begins talks
* INTERVIEW-UAE's Topaz Energy eyes expansion, better growth in 2018
* BRIEF-UAE's Tabreed says ENGIE completes acquisition of 40 pct stake in co
QATAR
* First group of Qatari pilgrims enter Saudi Arabia by land -Saudi TV
* EXCLUSIVE-China's CEFC in early talks to buy Rosneft stake
* BUZZ-Qatar sells Oct al-Shaheen at highest average premium in 10 mths
BAHRAIN
* TABLE-Bahrain money supply growth slows in April, bank lending shrinks
* BRIEF-Investcorp SA to buy interest in a Swiss private bank
(Compiled by Dubai Newsroom)
INTERNATIONAL/REGIONAL
* GLOBAL MARKETS-Week of U.S. political drama hurts stocks, dollar
* MIDEAST STOCKS-Major Gulf bourses end week on firm footing, Egypt slips
* Oil jumps 3 pct as dollar falls, U.S. rig count drops
* PRECIOUS-Gold near flat after surging to 9-month high on geopolitical worries
* Lebanese army, Hezbollah announce offensives against Islamic State on Syrian border
* Iraqi forces prepare to retake Tal Afar from Islamic State militants
* U.S. Defense Secretary Mattis to visit Jordan, Turkey, Ukraine
* Yemen violence worsening, more access to north needed: U.N.
* Clashes kill two in Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon
* Tunisia's interim finance minister quits over conflict of interests case
* Erdogan tells Turks in Germany to vote against Merkel
* Assad advisor says Syria war nearing its end
* Middle East Crude-Benchmarks hold firm, Russian premiums at multi-month high
* Assad advisor says Syria war nearing its end
* SPECIAL REPORT-How Syria continued to gas its people as the world looked on
* Gulf project awards slumped in H1 but will pick up -MEED study
* Shell lifts its first crude cargo from Libya in 5 years - industry sources
EGYPT
* Egypt's central bank keeps key interest rates unchanged
* Egypt's ESIIC buys 50,000 tonnes of raw sugar in tender -trade
* Egypt's GB Auto sees demand revival as dealers' inventories fall
* Egypt's first bitcoin exchange to begin trading this month
* Two killed on Gaza-Egypt border in confrontation between Hamas and rival Islamist militants
* INTERVIEW-New Egyptian law to allow companies to register within hours
* Average yields rise on Egypt's six-month, one-year T-bills
* Egypt's central bank says to hold auction for 1-year euro-denominated T-bills
SAUDI ARABIA
* Saudi central bank says Qatari pilgrims can change riyals
* Saudi Arabia installing cranes at Yemen ports to boost aid delivery
* Saudi coalition to blame for half of Yemen child casualties: draft U.N. report
* Saudi Arabia to restart work on $26.6 bln Grand Mosque expansion
* Saudi Arabia tenders to buy 480,000 tonnes hard wheat
* BRIEF-Saudi's Fawaz Alhokair Q1 profit rises
* Saudi Arabia crude oil exports fall slightly in June -JODI
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
* Future of Air Berlin's Niki uncertain as Lufthansa begins talks
* INTERVIEW-UAE's Topaz Energy eyes expansion, better growth in 2018
* BRIEF-UAE's Tabreed says ENGIE completes acquisition of 40 pct stake in co
QATAR
* First group of Qatari pilgrims enter Saudi Arabia by land -Saudi TV
* EXCLUSIVE-China's CEFC in early talks to buy Rosneft stake
* BUZZ-Qatar sells Oct al-Shaheen at highest average premium in 10 mths
BAHRAIN
* TABLE-Bahrain money supply growth slows in April, bank lending shrinks
* BRIEF-Investcorp SA to buy interest in a Swiss private bank
(Compiled by Dubai Newsroom)