MIDEAST STOCKS-Most major Gulf markets gain as financials jump - Reuters

MIDEAST STOCKS-Most major Gulf markets gain as financials jump - Reuters:

Most major Gulf stock markets advanced in early trade on Monday, supported by gains in their financial shares, although Qatar bucked the regional trend to trade lower.

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index ticked up 0.2%, with Saudi Arabia Fertilizers rising 2.5% and the kingdom’s largest lender, National Commercial Bank, gaining 0.4%.

Oil giant Saudi Aramco firmed 0.3%. The state-owned company on Sunday reported a 73% plunge in profit for the second quarter, but it stuck with plans to pay $75 billion in dividends this year.

Dubai’s main share index edged up 0.1%, helped by a 0.6% increase in blue-chip developer Emaar Properties and a 0.5% gain in sharia-compliant lender Dubai Islamic Bank .