DUBAI, July 27 (Reuters) - Gulf stock markets look likely to gain support from strong global equities on Thursday although a second-quarter earnings miss by Qatari telecommunications firm Ooredoo may dampen that market.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan is up 0.9 percent at heights not seen since December 2007, while Brent crude oil is just below $51 a barrel.

Ooredoo reported a 12 percent year-on-year fall in second-quarter net profit to 513 million riyals ($140.9 million); SICO Bahrain and EFG Hermes had forecast a profit of 642.81 million riyals and 529.3 million riyals.

Qatar First Bank may also attract selling after reporting a first-half net loss of 76.7 million riyals versus a profit of 16.8 million riyals a year ago. In the first quarter of this year, it made a net loss 9.6 million riyals.

The United Arab Emirates' biggest bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank , created this year by a merger of National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Gulf Bank, reported a net profit of 2.56 billion dirhams ($697.5 million) for the second quarter.

On a "pro-forma" basis, the profit was down from 2.68 billion dirhams from a year earlier, primarily due to slower business momentum. But it was in line with a projection of 2.57 billion dirhams by EFG Hermes.

(Reporting by Andrew Torchia) ((andrew.torchia@thomsonreuters.com; +9715 6681 7277; Reuters Messaging: andrew.torchia.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))