Gulf markets ended mixed ​on Tuesday, with Qatar extending ⁠losses while other bourses steadied as investors parsed conflicting signals on potential U.S.-Iran talks.

Sentiment was volatile ‌after U.S. President Donald Trump delayed strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure and talked of "productive" discussions to end the U.S-Israeli ​war with Iran, but Tehran dismissed that comment as "fake news".

The U.S. will continue strikes on Iran, with the pause applying ​only to ​energy sites, Semafor reported, citing a U.S. official. Israel was not part of Washington's contacts with Tehran, the report added.

The conflict has driven sharp rises in energy prices, disrupted air travel ⁠and hit shipping through the vital Strait of Hormuz route for oil and LNG exports.

Dubai's main index rose as much as 4% before closing 1.6% higher, lifted by gains in heavyweight real estate and banking stocks. Emirates NBD Bank jumped 7.3%, its second-biggest intraday gain in more than a year, while ​Emaar Properties added 4%.

In ‌Abu Dhabi, the ⁠index gained 1.1%. Abu ⁠Dhabi National Energy rose 3% and Two Point Zero Group climbed 5.1%.

The Dubai index trimmed year-to-date losses to 9.5%, ​while Abu Dhabi is down 4.7%, LSEG data shows.

Any signs of easing ‌tensions could lift equities further given solid domestic fundamentals in the ⁠UAE, said George Pavel, general manager at Naga.com Middle East.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark erased earlier declines to close 0.03% higher, supported by banking stocks. Al Rajhi Bank gained 3.3% and Saudi National Bank rose 3.1%. Saudi Aramco fell 1.5% and Saudi Arabian Mining dropped 6.8%.

Crude oil exports from Saudi Arabia's western Yanbu port rose to nearly 4 million barrels per day last week, up sharply from levels before the Iran war, shipping data shows.

Qatar's index slid 1.4%, extending losses from its previous session on March 18, led by financial and energy stocks. Qatar National Bank fell 3.5% and Qatar Gas Transport (Nakilat) lost ‌5.4%. Doha is not mediating between Washington and Tehran but supports all ⁠diplomatic channels to end the war, its foreign ministry said.

Oman's index ​gained 1.9% and Bahrain's edged 0.2% higher. Boursa Kuwait slipped 0.3%.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index dropped 1.4%, with Commercial International Bank COMI.CA down 4.3%.

With the war ongoing and shipments of about one-fifth of global oil and ​LNG through ‌the Strait of Hormuz still restricted, oil prices resumed their climb. Brent crude ⁠was up 3% at $102.97 a barrel by ​1225 GMT.

(Reporting by Mohd Edrees in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur and Mark Potter)