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Gulf bourses close higher, but US-Iran uncertainty caps upside



Most stock markets in the Gulf ended higher on Sunday, but gains were capped by uncertainty over a possible U.S.-Iran deal after Trump said he was awaiting the final text and warned strikes could resume.

A senior Iranian official said Tehran had proposed a plan — rejected so far by Trump — that would reopen shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and lift the U.S. blockade on Iran, while postponing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program until a later stage.

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index edged 0.1% higher, helped by a 2.5% rise in Saudi Arabian Mining Company.

However, oil major Saudi Aramco fell 0.9%.

READ MORE: Gulf shares slip on report of potential US military action against Iran

On Friday, Brent crude futures for July LCOc1 settled at $108.17, down $2.23 a barrel, or 2.02%, following a new Iran proposal for peace talks.

The Qatari index gained 0.4%, with the Gulf’s biggest lender Qatar National Bank  rising 1.4%.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt’s blue-chip index advanced 1.1%, with Commercial International Bank  rising 0.7%.

Saudi Arabia added 0.1% to 11,193

Qatar gained 0.4% to 10,533

Egypt advanced 1.1% to 52,313

Bahrain was up 0.2% to 1,972

Oman eased 0.1% to 8,361

Kuwait rose 0.6% to 9,435



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