Mideast Stocks: Gulf equities edge lower as Iran war enters third week

Commercial International Bank Egypt CIB

15/03/2026 12:34

Updates to closing prices

By Ateeq Shariff

March 15 (Reuters) - Most Gulf equities ended lower on Sunday as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran entered its third week with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening further strikes on the Kharg Island oil export hub and Tehran vowing to intensify its response.

Iranian drone and missile strikes have hit airports, hotels, ports and military and oil installations  across the region, exacting an economic and military toll on nearby Gulf states.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark index .TASI eased 0.1%, with the country's biggest lender Saudi National Bank 1180.SE retreating 1.3%.

However, oil major Saudi Aramco 2222.SE gained 0.7%.

Crude futures rose on Friday as the strait remained closed.

The Trump administration has rebuffed efforts by Middle Eastern allies to launch diplomatic negotiations aimed at ending the war with Iran, three sources familiar with the matter said.

The U.S. president also called on allies to deploy warships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies, as Tehran vowed to escalate its response.

In another sign of the economic fallout from the conflict, Formula One's Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will not take place in April, the sport announced on Saturday.

The Qatari index .QSI fell 0.2%, with the Gulf's biggest lender by assets Qatar National Bank QNBK.QA retreating 1.3%.

Bahrain's index .BAX eased 0.5%, while Kuwait's .BKP was down 0.1%.

Elsewhere, Oman's index .MSX30 lost 0.4%.

The U.S. State Department said on Saturday that it had directed non-essential government personnel and the family members of government employees to leave Oman due to safety concerns amid the ongoing conflict.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index .EGX30 declined 1.9%, dragged down by a 2.6% slide in Commercial International Bank  COMI.CA.

Saudi Arabia
.TASI slipped 0.1% to 10,887
Qatar
.QSI eased 0.2% to 10,461
Egypt
.EGX30 declined 1.9% to 45,927
Bahrain
.BAX was down 0.5% to 1,939
Oman
.MSX30 lost 0.4% to 7,705
Kuwait
.BKP fell 0.1% to 9,178

 (Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

 ((AteeqUr.Shariff@thomsonreuters.com; +918061822788))