DUBAI: Most stock markets in the Gulf ended higher on Thursday ahead of key US inflation data, due later in the day, that will offer clues on the Federal Reserve’s timeline for monetary policy easing.

Investors are looking at the US Consumer Price Index report (CPI) where a soft print could lift rate-cut bets for March. CME’s FedWatch Tool is currently showing a 66% chance of a cut.

Monetary policy in the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is usually guided by Fed policy because most regional currencies are pegged to the US dollar.

The Qatari benchmark edged 0.2% higher, supported by a 4.3% leap in Qatar Navigation.

In Abu Dhabi, the index closed 0.5% higher, with the United Arab Emirates’ biggest lender, First Abu Dhabi Bank advanced 2.5%, rising for the fifth consecutive session.