Gulf shares rise after oil prices climb, Egypt eases off 13-month high

Sunday 14-08-2016 PM 06:19
Gulf shares rise after oil prices climb, Egypt eases off 13-month high

Egypt's Bourse. REUTERS

By: Reuters

By Celine Aswad

DUBAI (Reuters) - A bounce in oil prices at the end of last week helped lift stock markets in the Gulf on Sunday, while Egypt's main index eased off a 13-month closing high as investors were cautious about a preliminary agreement with the IMF on a loan programme.

Dubai's index <.DFMGI> rebounded 1.2 percent to 3,567 points, its highest close in 16 weeks. Emaar Properties surged 3.5 percent and Dubai Islamic Bank added 1.7 percent.

But DAMAC Properties fell 0.4 percent after the developer reported a 37.4 percent fall in second-quarter net profit to 886.8 million dirhams ($241 mln).

Arabtec dropped 1.3 percent after it reported a second quarter loss of 186.4 million dirhams, an improvement from a year earlier but short of EFG Hermes' forecast of a loss of 83.2 million.

Shuaa Capital fell as much as 1.8 percent but closed flat after the investment bank said it made a second quarter net loss of 50.8 million dirhams, compared to a profit of 1.7 million dirhams a year earlier. The loss was mainly due to provisions set aside by Shuaa's business of lending to smaller firms.

Large cap banking shares helped push Qatar's index <.QSI> up 0.9 percent to 11,054 points, a fresh nine-month closing high. Commercial Bank gained 2.6 percent and Qatar National Bank rose 1 percent.

In Saudi Arabia, the index <.TASI> gained 0.8 percent as most petrochemical shares advanced after Brent crude futures settled 2 percent higher at $46.97 per barrel on Friday. Bellwether Saudi Basic Industries <2010.SE> gained 0.9 percent.

The positive mood spilled into other sectors, with the banking sub-index <.TBFSI> climbing 0.7 percent. Its top performer was Banque Saudi Fransi <1050.SE>, which jumped 3.4 percent.

 

EGYPT

Cairo's main index <.EGX30> retreated 0.3 percent to 8,351 points but closed 66 points above its session low. Global Telecom Holding fell 0.5 percent.

On Thursday, the index gained 1 percent as investors cheered a preliminary three-year, $12 billion funding deal with the International Monetary Fund. But while most analysts believe the agreement will be highly positive for Egypt, they are concerned by the impact of austerity policies that are expected to accompany it, such as subsidy cuts and the introduction of a value-added tax.

"While we expect positive reaction from the markets and the investor community as a whole, indirect social repercussions resulting from the programme's implementation, led by rising inflation, need to be factored in as well," brokerage Naeem said in a note.

Analysts at Sigmal Capital expect the central bank will raise interest rates at its meeting in September to combat a likely rise in inflation.

GB Auto rose 1.6 percent on Sunday after the company more than doubled its quarterly net income.    

SUNDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

SAUDI ARABIA

* The index <.TASI> added 0.8 percent to 6,374 points.

DUBAI

* The index <.DFMGI> gained 1.2 percent to 3,567 points.

ABU DHABI

* The index <.ADI> was flat at 4,527 points.

EGYPT

* The index <.EGX30> lost 0.3 percent to 8,351 points.

QATAR

* The index <.QSI> gained 0.9 percent to 11,054 points.

KUWAIT

* The index <.KWSE> edged down 0.01 percent to 5,499 points.

OMAN

* The index <.MSI> edged up 0.1 percent to 5,897 points.

BAHRAIN

* The index <.BAX> added 0.4 percent to 1,156 points.

 (Editing by Andrew Torchia and Susan Fenton)

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