Most Gulf stock markets rose on Tuesday ahead of corporate earnings announcements, while Kuwait outperformed as it reopened after a two-session break.
Saudi Arabia's index was up 0.4%, led by gains in financial and petrochemical shares. Al Rajhi Bank climbed 0.9%, while petrochemical firm Saudi Basic Industries added 0.3%.
Amongst others, United Wire Factories jumped 7.7% to 20.38 riyals, its highest since May 2017 after it reported a surge in its annual profit.
However, state-owned oil giant Saudi Aramco slipped 0.1% to 34.7 riyals.
Kuwait's index, which was closed in the last two sessions following the death of Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said, opened up 1.4%. Ahli United Bank rose 3.3% and National Bank of Kuwait added 1.1%.
Dubai’s index was up 0.6% as blue-chip developer Emaar Properties gained 1.7% and Emirates NBD edged up 0.4%.
In Abu Dhabi, the index rose 0.3% with the country's largest lender First Abu Dhabi Bank also adding 0.3%.
In Qatar, the index traded flat as lender Masraf Al Rayan dropped 1%, while Qatar National Bank was up 0.2% with the Gulf's largest lender due to report its annual results later on Tuesday, kicking off banks' earnings in the region.
($1 = 3.7514 riyals)
(Reporting by Maqsood Alam in Bengaluru; Editing by Susan Fenton) ((Maqsood.Alam@thomsonreuters.com;))
