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Dubai market declines --profit booking or halt of the rally?
March 01, 2012--The local Dubai bourse showed some form of exhaustion Thursday, closing 1.64% lower at 1,702.
But losses among blue chips were not immense and market breadth turned not in deep red territory like during previous market declines, as eight shares advanced and 19 declined. Emaar Properties (off 2.85%) and Arabtec Construction (down 3.60%) weighed on the gauge. According to analysts, the sharp rise in GCC indexes (Dubai added 25% year-to-date) was mostly based on rising oil prices, among other factors, but the global research team of Bank of America Merrill Lynch warned in a market study 'World at a glance, March' released earlier today: "In some sense, the rise in oil prices feels similar to last year, when rising growth expectations were dashed by high oil prices as well. Similar to 2011, the most recent surge in oil is not the result of strong demand growth but Middle East supply conditions stemming from tensions about Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, as well as Syria. In this US election year, higher oil and gasoline prices will be a continual focus, potentially dampening sentiment and spending appetite." At the DFM, around 565m shares were traded, valued at Dhs695.7m.
Lackluster Bahrain Bourse closes unchanged
March 01, 2012--Bahrain: Manama's market measure, the Bahrain All Share Index, ended off 0.06% Thursday, closing at 1,147.99 points.
Bahrain Duty Free Shop Complex was the only stock which added value (up 2.19%). National Bank of Bahrain closed 0.90% lower at BD0.57. Despite today's sluggish trading, the Bahrain gauge defended its tiny year-to-date gain during this week. Since January 1st, the Bahrain All Shares Index gained 0.40%.
NBAD prepared for long haul on ETF fund
March 1, 2012--Investors had little enthusiasm for National Bank of Abu Dhabi's exchange-traded fund (ETF) last year.
High expenses and a lack of appetite for the recently introduced OneShare Dow Jones UAE 25 ETF caused the investment vehicle to report a widened full-year loss of Dh3.06 million, from a loss of Dh726,974 the previous year. The fund was launched in April 2010.
Saudi Stock Exchange advances on bullish Emirates NBD statements
February 29, 2012--The Riyadh-based measure Tadawul finished Wednesday 0.80% higher at 7,226.43 points as oil prices remained on the bullish path.
Earlier in the day Emirates NBD's CIO Private Banking Gary Dugan said in his weekly comment: "The rise in oil prices is good news for GCC economic growth and financial markets. The Saudi Taduwal index in particular could have a lot further to rise (...) All the hallmarks of previous rampant bull markets are in place again." The influential British private banker from Dubai added: "The valuation of the market remains at a reasonable level. The prospective PE of the market at around 14.0x is not that cheap relative to global markets. However for local investors maybe only a PE multiple closer to 18.0x would represent a point at which they might pull back from further purchases. The potential is for a further 30% upside in the market." Market bellwether Sabic closed 0.78% higher at SR101.50. Shares of Abdullah A. M. Khodari Sons Co. slipped half a percent to SR53.75. Earlier in the day, the real estate contractor announced the signing of an Islamic credit agreement for additional facilities with Saudi Arabia's largest lender National Commercial Bank (NCB) on Tuesday. The facilities are worth SR567m. Al Khodari Sons said in a statement: "The purpose of these credit facilities is to provide bonding commitments and to fund capital requirements and working capital needs for the company's specific projects."
Insurers, industrials help Qatar Exchange to regain territory
February 29, 2012--The QE 20 Index advanced half a percent to reach 8,746.98 points.
Market heavyweight Industries Qatar gained 1.44%. Qatar Insurance soared two percent. United Development Company, the real estate firm behind man-made Pearl Qatar, closed unchanged. Earlier in the day, UDC announced the Annual General Assembly has approved the distribution of 64.35k shares as bonus shares at the rate of four shares for each ten shares (40 percent of the capital), resulting in an increase of UDC's capital of QR2.25bn.
Kuwait bourse adds slightly after long National Day weekend
February 29, 2012--The KSE Market Index ended up 0.20% at 6,129. 9 points. During the first two months of 2012, the KSE has gained 5.40%, far less than the market in Dubai (up 27.86%) and Abu Dhabi (eight percent higher).
According to Gary Dugan, CIO Private Banking at ban Emirates NBD in Dubai, "The rise in oil prices is good news for GCC economic growth and financial markets." He added: "However what strikes me is that all the hallmarks of previous rampant bull markets are in place again. Retail investor interest in the market is high. The recent rally in the equity market seems to have stirred investors to even switch money from their love affair with property to equities. The valuation of the market remains at a reasonable level."
Abu Dhabi market shaves 2,600-level as banks, real estate shares advance
February 29, 2012--The ADX General Index closed 0.70% higher at 2.611.13 points Wednesday.
International Fish Farming Holding or Asmak jumped 10% (top gainer), while Aldar Properties, as the most liquid share, edged 3.40% higher. Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) slipped 0.85%. Some 185.5m shares were traded, valued at Dhs213.5m.
While bellwether Emaar dips slightly, the Dubai market edges up further
February 29, 2012--The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) General Index hit a 15-month high Wednesday, closing 1.90% higher at 1,730.43 points. Year-to-date, the gauge gained a whopping 28.26%, the best performance among all Arab equity markets.
While Emaar Properties slipped 0.32%, Union Properties soared 10.30%. According to Gary Dugan, CIO Private Banking at Dubai's bank Emirates NBD (up 0.90%), the fear among investors that they could "miss the bull market train", fuels the index increase, although fundamentals would not justify the sharp increase. In his weekly economic commentary published earlier in the day, Dugan said: "We fear that the current robust performance of global equities may pause in the near term. Given the fear of institutional investors that they may miss out on a market rally they are still buying even when the fundamentals have deteriorated. The rise in oil prices should have normally led to a setback in equity markets. However we find that more investors have felt forced to buy the markets even if they have major reservations about the medium term outlook." Some 784m shares were traded, valued at Dhs838.8m.
Saudi Arabian Tadawul bourse advances slightly
February 28, 2012--The Tadawul All Share Index (Tasi) closed 0.30% higher at 7,168.99 points. Shares of Watanyia Insurance Company fell 3.5%.
Earlier in the day Watanyia announced it received Tuesday the approval from the Saudi Monetary Agency (Sama) to market and sell its Group Personal Accident Insurance. Market bellwether Sabic, the global petrochemicals producer, added 0.25% to reach SR100.75. Market breadth turned negative as 38 shares advanced, 106 declined.
DP World hits seven-month high on improved economic prospects for UAE
February 28, 2012--The FTSE NASDAQ Dubai UAE 20 Index closed at 1744.51 today, up 3.74%, from the previous close. Shares of port operator DP World jumped 6.52% to close at $12.50.
According to Al Ramz Securities, improved economic prospects for the UAE and rising confidence of internaitonal investors into the Gulf state have led to the strong rise in local stock market indexes in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Damas Jewelry (up 2.43%) and interior designer Depa Ltd. (gaining two percent) also rebounded.
