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Most Gulf markets inched higher in early trading on Tuesday as investors weighed the possibility of U.S. President Donald Trump ending the Iran war. Trump is ready to end the Iran campaign even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, the Wall Street Journal reported, after the president warned earlier he would "obliterate" Iran's energy infrastructure if Tehran kept the waterway shut.
Saudi Arabia's benchmark index gained 0.6%, with Al Rajhi Bank rising 1.2% and Saudi Arabian Mining Co advancing 1.7%.
Elsewhere, oil major Saudi Aramco added 0.3%. Saudi Arabia has rerouted its Gulf crude exports from the Strait of Hormuz, with some 4.658 million barrels per day sent to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, Kpler data showed, a sharp rise from an average of 770,000 bpd in January and February.
In Qatar, the index rose 0.9%, led by a 2.5% rise in the Gulf's biggest lender Qatar National Bank and a 2% increase in Qatar Gas Transport . The Abu Dhabi index edged up 0.1%.
Dubai's main share index gave up early gains to trade 0.6% lower, with top lender Emirates NBD declining 0.7%. A fully laden crude oil tanker off Dubai was attacked and set ablaze by Iran early on Tuesday, following Trump's warning that the U.S. would obliterate Iran's energy infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz remained closed.
The Dubai's stock index is heading for its worst monthly loss since March 2020, during the pandemic.
(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru' Editing by Kate Mayberry)





















