Mideast stocks sink

Global benchmark Brent crude for June delivery was down $4.1, or 16% at $21.48 per barrel. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index dropped 1.6%, with oil giant Saudi Aramco shedding 2% and petrochemical firm Saudi Basic Industries shedding 3.9%.

Saudi Electricity Company ended down 3.1% after waiving a 2019 dividend on shares of Public Investment Fund (PIF), the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund that has more than 74% stake in the firm.

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, announced last month a cut of nearly 5% in its 2020 budget, amounting to 50 billion riyals, and said spending would be reassessed as low oil prices and the coronavirus outbreak threaten growth.

In Dubai, the index slid 3.3%, dragged down by a 4.8% drop in Emirates NBD Bank and a 4.1% fall in Dubai Islamic Bank.

On Monday, Emirates NBD reported a net profit of 2.08 billion dirhams ($566.33 million) for the first three months of 2020, down 24% from the same period a year earlier.

The Abu Dhabi index retreated 2.7%, led by a 4.9% fall in the country's largest bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Qatari index eased 1.4%. Qatar National Bank fell 2.3% and petrochemical maker Industries Qatar was also down 2.3%.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index traded 2.8% down after a two-session break, with Commercial International Bank dropping 3.8% and tobacco monopoly Eastern Company falling 3.9%.

Copyright Reuters, 2020

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