Most major Gulf stock markets fell on Thursday, weighed down by concerns over an economic downturn and volatile oil prices, and hawkish U.S. Federal Reserve minutes.
Oil prices fell sharply overnight on worries that the near-term outlook looks precarious in China and that a global slowdown will hurt fuel demand. Brent crude futures were last up $1 at $78.84 per barrel.
Minutes of the Fed’s December meeting released overnight showed while officials agreed that the central bank should slow the pace of interest rate increases, they remained focused on curbing inflation.
Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia may further cut the prices for its flagship Arab Light crude grade to Asia in February, after they were set at a 10-month low this month, as concerns of oversupply continued to cloud the market.
Saudi Arabia’s benchmark stock index fell 0.5%, dragged down by a 0.5% decline in state oil giant and index heavyweight Saudi Aramco.
Aramco may cut the official selling price for the medium sour grade by about $1.50 a barrel in February, dragging the February Arab Light price to a level last seen in November 2021.
In Abu Dhabi, the benchmark index edged down 0.1%, led by a 0.4% slide in conglomerate International Holding Company and a 0.1% fall in Alpha Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi state fund Mubadala Investment Co and Alpha Dhabi plan to deploy up to 9 billion dirhams ($2.45 billion) in credit markets through a new joint venture, the companies said.
Dubai’s main share index declined 0.1%, pressured by losses in financial and real estate stocks. Emirates NBD Bank , Dubai’s largest lender, lost 0.8%, while blue-chip developer Emaar Properties was down 0.9%.
The benchmark stock index in Qatar climbed 1.8%, with almost all constituent stocks trading in positive territory. Qatar Islamic Bank surged 4.6% and Qatar National Bank , the Gulf’s largest lender, climbed 3.6%.
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The dollar weakened after posting big gains in the previous session. A weaker dollar typically boosts demand for oil as dollar-denominated commodities become cheaper for holders of other currencies.
The units operating out of Pune’s industrial belts have demanded a permanent solution to perennial power cuts and inadequate supply infrastructure to trim down production losses, which worsened to some extend on Wednesday due to the strike called by the employees of three state-owned power firms.