Most stock markets in the Gulf rose in early trade on Monday amid expectations of a US rate cut in September, although heightened geopolitical tensions in the region limited gains.
The US central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee meets on July 30-31 and is expected to keep rates unchanged.
However, recent softer data and comments from Fed officials have prompted the rate futures market to fully price in a 25 basis-point cut in September.
Monetary policy in the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is usually guided by the Fed’s decisions as most regional currencies are pegged to the US dollar.
Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index gained 0.1%, helped by a 1.3% rise in ACWA Power Company and a 2.3% increase in Dr Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Services.
Dubai’s main share index advanced 0.7%, with blue-chip developer Emaar Properties gaining 1.7% and top lender Emirates NBD was up 1.6%.
Saudi bourse gains on US inflation data; Egypt falls
The Abu Dhabi index added 0.4%.
In Qatar, the index eased 0.1%, hit by a 0.5% fall in Industries Qatar.
Investors also tracked the escalation in Middle East tensions.
Israel’s security cabinet authorized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to decide on the “manner and timing” of a response to a rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 teenagers and children, which Israel and the United States blamed on Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
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