Major stock markets in the Gulf fell on Sunday in response to Friday’s slide in oil prices as fears of a slow economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic compounded worries about weak oil demand. 

Benchmark Brent crude oil fell $1.41, or 3.2%, to settle at $42.66 a barrel.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark index eased 0.5%, with Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) falling 2% and Al Rajhi Bank down 0.6%.

SABIC, the world's fourth-biggest petrochemicals firm, sold $1 billion in dual-tranche bonds on Thursday, as Gulf debt markets pick up after the summer break.

Dubai's main share index fell 0.9%, dragged down by a 2% fall in blue-chip developer Emaar Properties and a 0.9% fall in decrease in Dubai Islamic Bank.

Meanwhile, the emirate's $2 billion dual-tranche bond sale on Wednesday was backed mostly by funds in the Middle East, Europe and the United Kingdom, a document showed, while the emirate's lack of a rating may have contributed to Asian investors shying away.

In Abu Dhabi, the index lost 0.4%, hurt by a 0.7% fall in top lender First Abu Dhabi Bank and a 0.4% drop in Emirates Telecommunications.

The Qatari index declined 0.6%, with lender Masraf Al Rayan shedding 1.2% and petrochemicals firm Industries Qatar down 1%.

(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; editing by Jason Neely) ((AteeqUr.Shariff@thomsonreuters.com; +918061822788;))