Mideast Stocks: Most Gulf stock markets gain on prospects of US rate cut

Commercial International Bank Egypt CIB

15/10/2025 14:10

Updates to closing prices

By Ateeq Shariff

Oct 15 (Reuters) - Most stock markets in the Gulf ended higher on Wednesday after U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's dovish comments improved global investor sentiment, even as soft oil prices amid a supply surplus and U.S.-China trade tensions capped gains.

Powell signalled potential additional rate cuts on Tuesday and said the end of the central bank's long-running effort to shrink the size of its holdings may be coming into view.

His comments, viewed by some as dovish, lifted global markets slightly and reinforced expectations of more easing this year, with roughly 48 basis points worth of cuts priced in by December. MKTS/GLOB

The Fed's stance holds implications for Gulf economies, where most currencies are pegged to the U.S. dollar, making it an anchor for regional monetary stability.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark index .TASI gained 0.7%, led by a 0.8% gain in Al Rajhi Bank  1120.SE and a 6% jump in ACWA Power Company 2082.SE.

The International Monetary Fund upgraded its 2025 economic growth forecast for Saudi Arabia on Tuesday due to a faster-than-expected unwinding of oil production cuts in the world's top crude exporter.

Dubai's main share index .DFMGI added 0.1%, helped by a 0.7% rise in blue-chip developer Emaar Properties EMAR.DU.

In Abu Dhabi, the index .FTFADGI closed 0.1% higher.

Oil prices - a catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets - steadied after closing at five-month lows in the previous session, as investors weighed the International Energy Agency's prediction of a supply surplus in 2026 and trade tensions between the U.S. and China that could curtail demand.

The Qatari index .QSI dropped 0.5%, with Qatar Islamic Bank QISB.QA losing 1.2%.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index .EGX30 rose 0.5%, with Commercial International Bank  COMI.CA advancing 1.4%.

Egypt has a plan for the drilling of 480 exploratory oil wells on the basis of investments totalling $5.7 billion over the next 5 years, the country's petroleum minister said on Tuesday, as the country seeks to reverse declining production.

Saudi Arabia
.TASI rose 0.7% to 11,682
Abu Dhabi
.FTFADGI up 0.1% to 10,120
Dubai
.DFMGI added 0.1% to 6,039
Qatar
.QSI fell 0.5% to 10,693
Egypt
.EGX30 gained 0.5% to 37,654
Bahrain
.BAX finished flat at 1,971
Oman
.MSX30 was up 0.2% to 5,252
Kuwait
.BKP fell 0.2% to 9,378

 (Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair and Leroy Leo)

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