Apr. 13--TADAWUL INDEX OUTPERFORMS GCC EXCHANGES: Riyadh's Tadawul All Share Index (Tasi) jumped 2.03 percent, closing at 5,308.42 percent. Bargain hunters sent shares of National Agriculture Trading (Thim'ar) and AlKhaleej Trading higher both 9.90 percent higher. Saudi American Bank (Samba) also joined the top advancers by gaining 9.40 percent. According to a Credit Suisse research report, asset quality will remain in focus until H2/2009. The Swiss bank recommends to focus on banks which are strong in corporate finance. Al Ahlia Insurance plummetted 5.32 percent. The Tasi advances of the last three days should boost confidence in stock markets across the GCC.

BAHRAIN STOCK EXCHANGE WITH A MODEST GAIN: The Manama-based stock exchange BSE could not outperform other GCC market. The Bahrain All Share Index closed 0.62 percent higher at 1,626.74 points. Salam Bankk posted the largest gain, closing 5.2 percent higher. Since the start of 2009, Bahrain's lead index lost 9.25 percent.

NASDAQ DUBAI: FOUR SHARES TRADED: The world's number four in international container port operations Dubai Ports (DP) World closed 3.85 percent lower at $0.25. Also traded at Dubai's international exchange Nasdaq Dubai today were Boulder Steel (up 33.33 percent), Depa Ltd. (gaining 10 percent) and Dubai Gold Securities (0.45 percent higher). Some 6.7m shares changed hands today.

KUWAIT STOCK MARKET GAINS, BUT WITHOUT MOMENTUM: Kuwait's KSE price index closed 0.39 percent higher at 7,342.4 points. Investment firm Qurain Holding jumped 9.43 percent. Islamic investment company Sokouk again joined the winners list (up 8.92 percent). The country's biggest lender National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) advanced by 3.52 percent. Banks benefit from 0.25 percent-interest rate cut done by the Central Bank yesterday in order to stimulate the economy. Meanwhile, the KSE management board announced that shares in Gulf Bank will resume trading by tomorrow. Gulf Bank has been postponed trading in October 2008 after suffering significant losses in its foreign exchange trading account.

DOHA SECURITIES MARKET DIPS BY 1.04 PERCENT: Qatari investors joind the overall lacklustre mood in GCC trading, sending the DSM20 Index down 1.04 percent to 5,153.88 points. Investors booked profits at Qatar Technical Inspection (off 7.04 percent) as the share jumped over 50 percent on merger talks with Qatar Fuel Company. Zad Holding (gaining 9.89 percent) remained Doha's darling today, as the food company still benefits from last week's announcement of a major moodernisation and capacity augmentation for 2009. According to the government, inflation will drop to 2-3 percent this year after double-digit growth in the previous years.

ABU DHABI MARKET UP 0.43 PERCENT ON STRONGER INDUSTRIALS: The industry sector index at the Abu Dhabi Securities Index (ADX) jumped 5.81 percent, lifting the market by 0.43 percent to 2,609.13 points. National Corporation for Tourism and Hotels posted the largest profit by adding 9.99 percent. It was followed by Abu Dhabi Ship Builidung (up 9.33 percent). Gulf Medical Projects hit the bottom of the decliners and closed 9.77 percent lower. Just 197,489,870 shares changed hands. Swiss investment guru Dr. Marc Faber, based in Hongkong, sees indicators for a rally which might last until July. Therefore GCC market participants wait for more Q1 results of local stocks and how global bellwether indices will start into the this week.

DUBAI STOCK INDEX CLOSES 0.1 PERCENT LOWER: Investors at the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) were undecided today due to missing input from Western and Asian markets. The DFM General Index (DFMGI) lost 0.1, closing at 1,654.53 points. Shares of Sharia-compliant firms dominated the list of advancers. Alsalam Sudan Bank posted the largest gain (up 5.58 percent). The Khartoum-based Islamic bank more than doubled during the last four weeks. Deyaar Development closed 4.92 percent, on news that former managers of the firm allegedly involved in a 2008 fraud case have been charged officially.