U.S. manufacturing contracted at a moderate pace in August amid some improvement in employment, but a further decline in new orders and rise in inventory suggested factory activity could remain subdued for a while.
A slew of U.S. economic data is due this week, including figures on job openings, jobless claims and the closely-watched non-farm payrolls report, which is due on Friday.
Given the Federal Reserve's focus on the labour market, the payrolls report could decide whether the U.S. central bank will likely cut rates by 25 basis points or a super-sized 50 bps. FEDWATCH
Monetary policy in the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi Arabia, is usually guided by the Fed's decisions, as most regional currencies are pegged to the U.S. dollar.
Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI), opens new tab dropped 0.4%, hit by a 1.7% fall in aluminium products manufacturer Al Taiseer Group (4143.SE), opens new tab.
Elsewhere, oil giant Saudi Aramco (2222.SE), opens new tab fell 0.9%.
Oil prices - a catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets - fell, extending a plunge of more than 4% the previous day and hovering at their lowest since December, on expectations that a political dispute halting Libyan exports could be resolved and concerns over sluggish global demand.
In China, the world's biggest importer of crude, recent data showed that manufacturing activity sank to a six-month low in August, when growth in new home prices slowed.
Dubai's main share index (.DFMGI), opens new tab eased 0.1%, with blue-chip developer Emaar Properties (EMAR.DU), opens new tab declining 1%.
The Qatari benchmark (.QSI), opens new tab dropped 0.6%, as most of its constituents were in negative territory including Qatar Islamic Bank (QISB.QA), opens new tab, which was down 0.8%.
Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30), opens new tab finished 0.1% lower, with EFG Holding (HRHO.CA), opens new tab losing 1%.
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