Muscat: Dubai’s main index led the declines, falling 0.9 percent, dragged down by a sharp 3.6 percent drop in shares of Air Arabia and a 5 percent decline in Mashreq Bank.
In Abu Dhabi, the benchmark index slipped 0.3 percent, with Aldar Properties shares edging down by 0.3 percent.
Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index also recorded losses, declining 0.8 percent. Shares of Al Rajhi Bank dropped 1 percent, while Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden) fell 1.4 percent.
Across the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), markets remained under pressure as investors reacted to the latest escalation in regional conflict, adopting a cautious stance amid growing uncertainty.
Qatar’s index declined 0.6 percent, with shares of Qatar Islamic Bank falling 1.1 percent.
Elsewhere, markets in Bahrain and Kuwait also ended in negative territory, dropping 1.2 percent and 0.3 percent respectively.
Gulf stock markets fell broadly as escalating regional conflict rattled investor sentiment and prompted caution. Dubai led losses with a 0.9 percent drop, hit by steep declines in Air Arabia and Mashreq Bank. Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait also closed lower, underscoring mounting war-related uncertainty across the Gulf Cooperation Council exchanges.