Apr. 2--DOHA EXCHANGE ADDS A QUARTER PERCENT: Qatar's DSM index gained 0.26 percent, closing at 4,897 points in lacklustre trading. Qatar Technical Inspection jumped 9.68 percent on released merger talks with Qatar Fuel Company, which also outperfomed the market (gaining 2.46 percent). Al Ahli Bank lost 3.12 percent on profit bookings. Volumes plummeted by 25 percent with some 9.02m shares chaing hands in Doha.

JEEZAN HOLDING LEADS KUWAIT GAINS: The Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) climbed 87.1 points or 1.27 percent higher, cloinsg at 6,909.3 points (price index). Property investment operator Jeezan Holding posted the biggest gain (up 10 percent straight). Bahran-based Islamic bank Gulf Finance House (GFH) edged 1.76 percent higher. Nevertheless The northern GCC member state faces challenges, despite recent market gains.According to an analyst's report issued bu Kuwaiti Global Investment House, there is still an urgent need on the part of the Kuwait government to adapt expansionary fiscal policy to minimize the impact of economic crisis.

ABU DHABI EXCHANGE GAINS 2.28 PERCENT: A bullish consumer sector index (up 48 percent) emerged as the winner at the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX, which closed 2.28 percent higher at 2,497.03 points. International Fish Farmin edged 9.64 percent higher, followed by market bellwether Aldar Properties (gaining eigh percent straight). According to investment bank EFG Hermes, the announced pricing and investment grade rating of Abu Dhabi's $3bn bond programme should raise further confidence into the market. National Bank lost of Umm Al-Qaiawain lost over nine percent on profit bookings during the last trading day of the week, which saw some 246m shares changing hands.

DUBAI MARKET JOINS BULLISH GLOBAL MOOD: Investors joined the global bullish bandwagon today and sent the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) General Index 1.12 percent higher at 1,583.19 points. Dubai Islamic Insurance and Reinsurance posted the biggest gain (up 14.29 percent). Market bellwether Emaar properties jumped 7.27 percent. The real estate sector has been the top gainer at DFM during the first quarter (gaining over six percent). According to rating agency Moody's the recent launch of Dubai's $10bn bond programme has lifted confidence into the market, but lowered Emaar's rating by one notch from A2 to A1 with outlook 'negative'.

Air Arabia disappointed and declined by 1.04 percent. Volumes rose to some 490m shares changing hands at the DFM.

SAUDI CAUTIONS AGAINST PROTECTIONISM: As G20 leaders gathered in London for a summit, Ibrahim Al Assaf, Saudi Finance Minister warned that restricting imports from emerging markets could worsen the global financial crisis. He told Asharq Al Awsat newspaper 'indications of commerce protectionism have started to surface and this is a very worrying matter'.

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