Emirates NBD Bank , Dubai's largest lender, and Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation inched up 2.3 and 2.4%, respectively. In Abu Dhabi, the benchmark index closed in red, pressured by a 0.4% slide in First Abu Dhabi Bank , the United Arab Emirates' biggest lender, and a 2.8% dive in Emirates Telecommunications Group . Reuters on Tuesday reported through sources that Uber Technologies' Middle East subsidiary Careem is in advanced talks with Emirates Telecommunications Group to invest in its expansion into services beyond ride-hailing. The benchmark stock index in Qatar retreated 0.9%, mostly dragged down by financial and industrial stocks. Qatar National Bank (QNB) , the Gulf's largest lender and Qatar Islamic Bank dropped 1.3% and 3.5%, respectively, while petrochemical makers Industries Qatar was also down 1.3%. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index , climbed 2.5%, after a two consecutive session decline, as 28 of the 31 constituent stocks moved in positive territory. Commercial International Bank (CIB) , Egypt's biggest private bank, climbed 1.8% while country's lone cigarette maker Eastern Company was up 6.1%. The Egyptian stock market recorded a strong volume surge led by a buying trend from local investors, said Farah Mourad, Senior Market Analyst of XTB MENA. SAUDI ARABIA rose 0.3% to 16,411 ABU DHABI was flat at 9,456 DUBAI rose 0.5% to 3,401 QATAR fell 0.9% to 10,213 EGYPT climbed 3.2% to 16,411 BAHRAIN inched up 0.8% to 1,894 OMAN eased 0.1% 4,854 KUWAIT traded flat at 7,786
(Reporting by Shamsuddin Mohd in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)
