Major stock markets in the Gulf region rose in early trade on Monday, with the Qatari index boosted by gains in shares of Industries Qatar after the petrochemicals firm bought a stake in Qatar Fertiliser Co (QAFCO).
Saudi Arabia's benchmark index firmed 0.2%, with oil giant Saudi Aramco gaining 0.3%, while Al Rajhi Bank was up 0.2%.
Aramco said on Sunday it was setting up a new corporate development organisation to oversee the company's assets and secure greater access to growth markets and technologies.
Qatar's index added 0.8%, as Industries Qatar surged 6.5%, reaching its highest level since May, after the petrochemical maker bought Qatar Petroleum's 25% stake in QAFCO for $1 billion.
In Dubai, which traded after a session's break, the index gained 1.1%, with blue-chip developer Emaar Properties rising 2.4% and Emirates NBD adding 1.4%.
The Abu Dhabi index was up 0.3%, helped by a 0.2% increase in the country's largest lender First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Waha Capital rose 1.2%, after the investment firm announced on Sunday an investment of 184 million dirhams ($50.10 million) in Despegar.com, an online travel company in Latin America.
($1 = 3.6728 UAE dirham)
(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich) ((AteeqUr.Shariff@thomsonreuters.com; +918061822788;))
