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-Stocks rally on treatment hopes, currencies await ECB 

* Oil prices rise on early signs of slowing U.S. glut build

* MIDEAST STOCKS-Saudi leads Gulf higher as oil prices gain 

* PRECIOUS-Gold eases as virus treatment hopes lift risk sentiment 

* Middle East Crude-Dubai falls, Oman strengthens 

* Emerging sovereigns set for borrowing binge but weaker names struggle 

* Pompeo says Iraqi leaders must drop sectarian quota to help form new government 

* U.S. will not let Iran buy arms when U.N. embargo ends - Pompeo 

* ANALYSIS-As Lebanon's crisis deepens, politicians trade blame 

* Small protests break out in Lebanese cities in third night of unrest 

* Lebanon's Salameh sees no need for deposits haircut, dismisses PM's rebuke 

* Key U.S. official urges Lebanon to prove commitment to reforms -Al-Arabiya

* Jordan lifts driving ban as it eyes normality after tight lockdown

* WHO changes to U.N. Syria memo risk stoking Trump-fueled criticism

* Yemen reports first two deaths from coronavirus 

* Sudan postpones key economic meeting due to coronavirus 

* Tunisia to partially reopen economy from next week

* Iran death toll from coronavirus outbreak reaches 5,957 - health ministry official

* Eastern Libyan forces pause operations after military setbacks

* Israel sells $5 billion of 40-year dollar bonds in Asia 

 

SAUDI ARABIA

* Saudi foreign reserves fall at fastest for two decades 

* Saudi malls fill again as kingdom eases coronavirus closures 

* Saudi Arabia allows entry to and exit from Qatif province 

* Saudi crude buyers cancel at least 7 supertankers after freight hike - sources 

* Belarus buys first oil from Saudi Arabia -refiner Belneftekhim 

 

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

* UAE doing too little to stem money laundering and terrorist finance - watchdog

* NMC founder says private probe shows alleged fraud at NMC, Finablr

* TABLE-UAE's Fujairah oil inventory data for week ended April 27 

* Abu Dhabi’s Etihad delays return of passenger flights to June 16 

* Abu Dhabi shelves sale of $2 billion private equity book due to coronavirus - Bloomberg News

* Moody's downgrades Dubai utility DEWA to Baa2, outlook still negative 

 

QATAR

* Qatar to reduce employees at workplaces in govt, private sectors - state news agency 

OMAN

* Oman tells state companies to replace expats with locals - ONA 

 

BAHRAIN

* Bahraini bank Al Baraka boosts provisions to cover any virus impact 

(Compiled by Dubai newsroom) ((dubai.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com))