Mideast Stocks: Saudi Arabia Settles Lower, Worst Weekly Performance in Over a Month

Saudi Arabia's main stock index closed lower on Thursday, clocking its worst weekly performance in over a month, after official reports showed that crude oil exports in March declined.

The kingdom's stock index shed 1.02% on Thursday, underperforming its peers in the Middle East. It was down 2.5% for the week. Official data on Wednesday showed the country's crude oil exports in March fell to 5.754 million barrels per day from 6.547 million bpd in February.

Oil prices, a catalyst for stock markets in the Gulf, also dropped by more than a percent after Bloomberg reported OPEC+ was discussing a production increase for July, which raised worries that global supply could exceed demand growth.

Dubai's benchmark index snapped two consecutive sessions of decline, ending 0.26% higher. UAE-based insurer Dubai Insurance was the top gainer on the index, jumping 15% to a near 21-year high.

The index has been bolstered by a slew of business agreements between the U.S. and UAE announced last week during President Donald Trump's Gulf Tour.

Elsewhere, the main stock indices in Abu Dhabi and Qatar ended the session flat on Thursday. Qatar's benchmark index saw its biggest weekly rise since October 2024.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index, closed up 0.44% ahead of an expected rate cut by the country's central bank later on Thursday.

SAUDI ARABIA down 1.02% to 11,188.74

ABU DHABI to 9,667.26

DUBAI up 0.26% to 5,452.76

QATAR 10,774.26

EGYPT up 0.44% to 31,975.63

BAHRAIN inched up 0.08% to 1,922.35

OMAN up 0.59% 4,497.47

KUWAIT down 0.19% at 8,718.68