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))