Most Gulf Arab markets rose on Monday, with real estate and bank stocks lifting UAE bourses, though Saudi Arabia and Kuwait bucked the trend. Qatar's index rose 0.5 percent to 7,557 points. Muscat's benchmark climbed 0.7 percent to 6,681 points. In Dubai, the benchmark rose 2.0 percent to 2,237 points. Abu Dhabi banks lifted the index to close up 0.7 percent to 3,151 points as investors were drawn to the sector by talk that lenders there are flush with liquidity, while real estate stocks helped Dubai end 2 percent higher. In Bahrain, the main measure inched up 0.1 percent to 1,577 points. Saudi Arabia's benchmark Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) retreated 0.31 percent at 6,282.38 points. Kuwait's index edged down 0.2 percent to 7,770 points, dragged down by Zain, whose stake sale saga has made it the target of speculators. Shares in Zain fell 2.9 percent, a day after soaring nearly 8 percent on news two Indian investors were interested in joining a consortium to buy up to 46 percent of of the telecoms firm. In Oman, bullish outlooks for third-quarter earnings season lifted the benchmark to close up 0.7 percent, with ONIC Holding and Al Jazeira Services soaring 6.1 percent and 7.9 percent respectively.
