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DUBAI - Here are some factors that may affect Middle East stock markets on Thursday. Reuters has not verified the press reports and does not vouch for their accuracy.
INTERNATIONAL/REGIONAL
* GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia stocks gain, dollar droops as Fed chair sets stage for rate cut
* PRECIOUS-Gold hits 1-wk high as comments from Fed's Powell stoke rate cut bets
* Oil hits six-week high as storm builds in Gulf of Mexico
* MIDEAST STOCKS-Property firms bolster Dubai, oil prices lift Saudi
* Iranian boats 'harass' British tanker in the Gulf -U.S. officials
* Trump threatens to "substantially" increase sanctions on Iran
* U.S. Senate Foreign Relations chairman offers Saudi rights bill
* ANALYSIS-Assad hits a wall in Syrian war as front lines harden
* Media watchdog visited Saudi Arabia seeking journalists' release, amid Khashoggi uproar
* In hotbed of Sudan's uprising, activists torn over transition deal
EGYPT
* Egypt opens new international airport for trial period
* Egypt has bought 3.26 mln T local wheat in season so far -minister
* Egypt headline inflation falls to surprising 9.4% in June
* Egyptian digital payments company Fawry preparing for IPO
SAUDI ARABIA
* Saudi's Ataa Educational to raise 348 mln riyals in IPO
* China's Sinopec signs pipeline contract with Saudi Aramco for Marjan oilfield
* Saipem CEO says Saudi contracts part of natural gas shift
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
* CVC-led consortium to acquire 30% stake in Dubai's GEMS Education
* MEDIA-Etihad wants to participate in Jet Airways' insolvency process
* Russia and UAE's ADNOC discuss cooperation in LNG projects
* Abu Dhabi Government Partners With Aldar For AED 5 Bln Projects
KUWAIT
* Boursa Kuwait To Hold Auction For Sale Of Gulf Bank Share
* Qurain Petrochemical Completes Acquisition Of 60% Stake In Jassim Trasnport And Stevedoring
QATAR
* Qatar Airways signed $5 billion in unspecified deals in Washington -QNA
* Qatar Awards Raytheon About $2.2 Bln For Additional Air, Missile Defense Capability
* Qatar National Bank posts 4% increase in first-half net profit
BAHRAIN
* Bahrain's BBK Completes $500 Mln Bond Issuance
(Compiled by Dubai Newsroom) ((Dubai.Newsroom@thomsonreuters.com))