DUBAI: Most stock markets in the Gulf ended lower on Sunday, weighed down by uncertainty about the conflict in Ukraine.
A Russian missile attack on a large Ukrainian military facility near the border with NATO member Poland on Sunday killed 35 people and wounded 134, a Ukrainian official said.
Saudi Arabia’s benchmark share index fell 0.6%, with oil behemoth Saudi Aramco sliding 2.8%, extending losses for a third consecutive session.
Aramco has risen more than 10% so far this year as crude prices soared since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Among other losers, Dur Hospitality retreated 5.4% after the firm called off initial discussions relating to a merger with Taiba Investment Co.
In Qatar, the index dropped 1.1%, with most index stocks in negative territory including the Gulf’s biggest lender Qatar National Bank, which was down 2%.
Bucking the trend in the Gulf, Oman’s index finished 0.5% higher.
Oman aims to list 35 state-owned enterprises in the next five years and plans to take one or two oil companies public this year, the CEO of the Muscat Stock Exchange told CNBC Arabia on Sunday.
Outside the Gulf, Egypt’s blue-chip index edged up 0.3%, helped by a 2.4% rise in top lender Commercial International Bank.
SAUDI ARABIA lost 0.6% to 12,605
QATAR fell 1.1% to 13,489
EGYPT rose 0.3% to 10,481
BAHRAIN declined 1% to 2,033
OMAN up 0.5% to 4,350
KUWAIT dropped 0.2% to 8,736.