Data on Tuesday showed U.S. job openings dropped to the lowest in nearly 2-1/2 years in July, signalling easing labour market pressures. With the Federal Reserve highlighting that its interest rate path will be heavily dependent on data, traders are tweaking their bets based on the latest indicators.
Monetary policy in the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council is usually guided by Fed policy because most regional currencies are pegged to the U.S. dollar.
Saudi Arabia's benchmark index advanced 1.2%, snapping two sessions of losses, with oil giant Saudi Aramco finishing 2.2% higher.
Oil prices - which fuels the Gulf economy - extended gains after industry data showed a large draw in crude inventories in the U.S., the world's biggest fuel consumer, and as a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico kept investors on edge.
Dubai's main share index extend losses from the previous session to close 0.4% lower after it hit its highest since Aug. 2015. In Qatar, the index eased 0.2%, weighed down by a 0.9% fall in petrochemical maker Industries Qatar.
The Qatari stock market continued to trade sideways overall but remained exposed to another decline, said George Pavel, General Manager at Capex.com Middle East.
"The market could find some support if natural gas prices recover more strongly."
Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index climbed 1%, hitting an all-time high, buoyed by a 3.3% jump in Commercial International Bank Egypt.
The Egyptian bourse continued to see more gains, supported by local investors and strong trading volumes, said Pavel.
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