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Gulf markets recover after recent losses

Investors reacted positively to the Federal Reserve's comments and the ongoing geopolitical tensions as they surveyed the major stock markets of the Gulf in the early trading on Thursday.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark stock index rose 0.3% to close out two sessions of losses. The Saudi Arabian Mining Company stock, which had been down for the previous two sessions, gained 4.1% after the bourse introduced single stock option contracts.

Allianz Saudi Fransi Cooperative Insurance also rose 0.3% after Abu Dhabi National Insurance Co acquired 51% of the insurer for 133.1 million dollars.

Qatar Navigation rose 1.8%, while Industries Qatar increased 0.4%.

The oil prices, which are a major factor in Gulf financial markets, were not much changed following a 3% decline in the previous session. Market participants remained worried about the demand for this year as well as signs of a possible wider conflict in Middle East.

The index in Abu Dhabi edged up 0.1%.

Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, along with other top U.S. central banks officials, retreated on Tuesday from giving any indication on when rates might be reduced. Instead, Powell said that the monetary policy needed to be more restrictive and continue for longer, squelching investor hopes of meaningful reductions in borrowing cost this year.

Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar usually imitate any change in US monetary policy.

Dubai's main stock index rose 1% after four consecutive sessions in which it had fallen, and blue-chip developer Emaar Properties rose 1.2%.

Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange, announced on Thursday that it had obtained a license from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. This will allow Binance to serve retail customers in addition to institutional and qualified ones.

(source: Reuters)