Gulf Stock Markets Rise on Cooling U.S. Inflation Data Amid Tariff Concerns; Saudi Arabia Up 0.2%, Dubai Gains 0.5%

Gulf stock markets mostly closed higher on Thursday, buoyed by lower-than-expected U.S. inflation figures, although tariff uncertainties persist (Source: Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru, Shreya Biswas Editing). Saudi Arabia's benchmark index increased by 0.2%, reaching 11,726, supported by a 0.6% rise in Al Rajhi Bank. Rasan Information Technology Company surged 9.9% following the sale of a 17.16% stake at 69 riyals. Dubai's main share index advanced by 0.5% to 5,185, with Emaar Properties climbing 1.1%. Abu Dhabi's index rose 0.2% to 9,430, driven by a 0.9% gain in ADNOC Gas. Qatar's benchmark, however, fell 0.1% to 10,423, impacted by a 0.3% decrease in Qatar National Bank. Egypt's blue-chip index increased by 0.8% to 31,291. The IEA noted that global oil supply could exceed demand by 600,000 barrels per day this year, affecting energy stocks like Saudi Aramco, which slipped 1%.