Saudi Arabia's stock market ended higher on Sunday, snapping a three-day losing streak, in response to Friday's rise in oil prices .
Oil prices - a catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets - gained on Friday but retreated from session highs after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened sanctions on Russia if it fails to reach a cease-fire with Ukraine.
Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI), opens new tab added 0.2%, helped by a 1.5% rebound in oil behemoth Saudi Aramco (2222.SE), opens new tab.
Aramco has been falling since Tuesday when the firm reported a drop in annual profit and signalled it will slash its dividend payouts by nearly a third this year to $85.4 billion.
Meanwhile, the kingdom's economy grew 1.3% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2024, preliminary government data showed on Sunday, supported by increased non-oil and government activities.
In Qatar, the index (.QSI), opens new tab added 0.1%, with Qatar Islamic Bank (QISB.QA), opens new tab gaining 0.5%.
Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30), opens new tab finished 0.6% higher, with EFG Holding (HRHO.CA), opens new tab advancing 3%.
Analysts and bankers expect foreign investors to extend holdings in Egyptian treasuries, building on last year's IMF-backed recovery and record UAE investment that stabilized the country's economy.
