Most major Middle Eastern markets ended higher on Sunday, with Qatar outperforming the region driven by broad-based gains as financial shares led the pack.

In Qatar, the index rose 1.2%, boosted by a 2.1% rise in the Gulf's largest lender Qatar National Bank and a 10% surge in United Development Company.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark index rose 0.8%, with Al Rajhi Bank 1120.SE gaining 0.9% and Dr Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Services jumping 3.5%.

Elsewhere, Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) was up 0.5%. SEC, the kingdom's electricity transmission monopoly, sold $1.3 billion in dual-tranche green sukuk, or Islamic bonds, the first public green issuance from the region this year. 

The deal comes amid a flurry of debt issues, as Gulf borrowers - particularly governments - seek to plug finances that have been hit by the double blow of the coronavirus pandemic and lower oil prices.

Separately, Saudi Arabian supermarket retailer BinDawood Holding set an indicative price for its initial public offering, seeking to raise as much as 2.19 billion riyals ($583.89 million) in a Riyadh listing

Dubai's main share index reversed earlier losses to close up 0.2%, supported by a 1.4% gain in Emirates NBD Bank.

In Abu Dhabi, the index eased 0.2% as the country's largest lender dropped 0.4% and Emirates Telecommunication was down 0.2%.

On Saturday, the United Arab Emirates health ministry reported 1,007 new coronavirus cases, its highest daily number of infections since the start of the pandemic.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index added 0.2%, supported by a 0.5% increase in Commercial International Bank.

 ($1 = 3.7507 riyals)

(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson) ((AteeqUr.Shariff@thomsonreuters.com; +918061822788;))