Dubai and Abu Dhabi's stock markets slid on Thursday, pulled down by firms which traded ex-dividend, while most major Gulf markets fell.

Dubai's index declined 0.8 percent, with Dubai Investments plunging 8 percent as the stock traded ex-dividend. Emaar Properties, the Emirate's largest listed developer, was down 1 percent.

The Abu Dhabi index was down 0.6 percent, led by a 6.4 percent decrease in energy company Dana Gas after the stock went ex-dividend.

Emirates Telecommunications Company slipped 0.5 percent. On Tuesday, the telecom operator posted a drop in its first-quarter revenue.

Qatar's blue-chip index fell 0.4 percent as market heavyweight Industries Qatar dipped 1.6 percent for the third straight session. On Monday, the company posted first-quarter net profit that almost halved, pressured by weak demand for its products and constraints on pricing.

But Qatar First Bank added 1.5 percent after the lender swung to a first-quarter profit from a loss the year before.

Saudi's index edged up 0.2 percent, with Arabian Cement adding 2.5 percent after posting a first-quarter profit from a loss a year earlier.

National Commercial Bank was up 1.3 percent. The country's largest lender on Tuesday reported a 5.7 percent rise in first-quarter net profit.

 

(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru Editing by Keith Weir) ((AteeqUr.Shariff@thomsonreuters.com; +918067497129;))