Most Gulf bourses fall on Fed's rate-cut caution; Egypt extends loss | Reuters

Most Gulf bourses fall on Fed's rate-cut caution; Egypt extends loss | Reuters

Most stock markets in the Gulf ended lower on Monday, hurt by concerns that the U.S. Federal Reserve would slow its pace of interest-rate cuts, while the Qatar and Saudi indices rose amid higher oil prices.

Investors increased bets on the Fed leaving interest rates unchanged at its December meeting and dialed back expectations for easing in 2025.

The Fed's decisions have a significant impact on the Gulf region's monetary policy, as most currencies there are pegged to the U.S. dollar.

Dubai's benchmark stock index (.DFMGI), opens new tab slipped 0.6%, weighed down by losses in utilities, consumer staples and industry sectors.

Gulf Navigation Holding, or GULFNAV, (GNAV.DU), opens new tab dropped 7% to 5.29 dirhams per share, its lowest in nearly 1-1/2 years. The maritime and shipping firm posted an 84% decrease in quarterly net profit on Friday.

The Abu Dhabi benchmark index (.FTFADGI), opens new tab snapped two sessions of gains, falling 0.6% in its biggest daily loss in over a month. Conglomerate International Holding (IHC.AD), opens new tab and its unit Alpha Dhabi (ALPHADHABI.AD), opens new tab slipped 1.6% and 2%, respectively.

However, Lulu Retail (LULU.AD), opens new tab gained 1%, the stock's first session of gains since it debuted trading on Thursday.

The Middle East's biggest hypermarket chains operator, Lulu, raised $1.72 billion in its initial public offering, the UAE's largest listing so far this year.

The Qatari benchmark index (.QSI), opens new tab rose 0.4%, aided by a 1.7% gain in Qatar National Bank (QNBK.QA), opens new tab, the region's largest lender, and a 1.1% increase in Barwa Real Estate (BRES.QA), opens new tab.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark stock index (.TASI), opens new tab was up 0.2%, with Saudi Aramco (2222.SE), opens new tab gaining 0.5%. The oil major said it and Sinopec Corp have started constructing a refinery and petrochemical complex in southeast China's Fujian province.

Among other gainers, Banan Real Estate surged 7.7% after the Exchange approved its transfer to the main market.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's crude oil exports in September rose to their highest level in three months.

Oil prices, a catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets, settled higher, with Brent rising 0.5% to $71.37 a barrel by 1310 GMT.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30), opens new tab extended declines to a second straight session and fell 1.2%, with most stocks in the red.