Major stock markets in the Gulf were mixed in early trade on Monday as investors waited for a reading of U.S. inflation data later this week for insights into the Federal Reserve's monetary policy path.

Fed officials appear on track to cut interest rates this month after data showed the U.S. labor market remained strong but continued to cool in November.

U.S. employers added 227,000 jobs last month, a rebound from a hurricane-related slowdown in October, but the unemployment rate inched up to 4.2%, the Labor Department's monthly employment report showed on Friday.

According to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool, markets currently see a roughly 85% chance of a 25 basis point rate cut this month.

The Fed's decisions impact monetary policy in the Gulf region where most currencies, including Saudi Arabia's, are pegged to the U.S. dollar.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark index .TASI rose 0.5%, led by gains of 1.6% for Al Rajhi Bank 1120.SE and 1.5% for Riyad Bank 1010.SE.

In Qatar, the index .QSI gained 0.5%, with the Gulf's biggest lender Qatar National Bank QNBK.QA up 1.3%.

Oil prices - a catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets - rose after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria introduced greater uncertainty to the Middle East, although the gains were capped by a waning demand outlook for the coming year.

Dubai's main share index .DFMGI fell 0.4%, hit by a 0.6% fall in blue-chip developer Emaar Properties EMAR.DU.

The Abu Dhabi index .FTFADGI eased 0.2%.

(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)