Gulf bourses mixed on regional tensions

DUBAI: Stock markets in the Gulf put in a mixed performance on Sunday amid rising geopolitical tensions in the region, although the Saudi index extended gains on bets for further US interest rate cuts.

Israel and Hezbollah exchanged heavy fire into Sunday, with Israeli warplanes carrying out the most intense bombardment in almost a year of conflict across Lebanon’s south and Hezbollah firing rockets deep into northern Israel.

The escalating attacks come less than 48 hours after an Israeli airstrike targeted Hezbollah commanders in a suburb of the Lebanese capital. The death toll from that strike had risen to 45, the Lebanese health ministry said on Sunday.