Mideast Stocks: #UAE markets fall on escalating conflict in the region

Mideast Stocks: UAE markets fall on escalating conflict in the region

Stock markets in United Arab Emirates closed lower on Friday, as investors turned cautious after the latest round of negotiations between Israel and Hamas failed to achieve the ceasefire and fighting escalated in the southern most city of Gaza.

Israeli tanks captured the main road dividing the eastern and western halves of Rafah on Friday, effectively encircling the entire eastern side of the city in the southern Gaza Strip.

Abu Dhabi's benchmark index dropped 0.3%, extending losses to second session, after Abu Dhabi's largest listed firm International Holding Company shed 0.6% and real estate giant Aldar Properties dropped 1.6%.

Dubai's main index edged 0.2% down, pressured by losses in real estate sector, as blue-chip developer Emaar Properties slipped 0.9%, while its construction arm Emaar Development decreased 1.4%. Among the losers, foreign currency exchange firm Al Ansari Financial Services slumped 1.9% after the firm reported 26% decline in its first-quarter net profit to 98.7 million dirhams ($26.88 million)

However, Dubai index recorded 0.7% weekly gains, ending five week of losing streak, while Abu Dhabi posted 0.6% increase after three week of losses, according to LSEG data.

Oil prices - a key catalyst for the Gulf's financial market- drifted 0.6% higher to %84.39 a barrel after data this week signalled growing demand in the U.S. and China, the world's two largest crude users.