Most Gulf stock markets ended higher on Sunday, with the Saudi index buoyed by firm oil prices, softer US rate expectations and renewed investor appetite after recent heavy selling.

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark TASI, which had suffered five consecutive weekly losses, rebounded 1.1 per cent to 10,506, led by a 1.7 per cent gain in Al Rajhi Bank. Oil major Saudi Aramco rose 0.6 per cent as Brent crude settled at $102.25 a barrel on Friday.

Elsewhere, Egypt’s blue-chip EGX30 index advanced 1.6 per cent to 53,911, Oman’s MSX30 gained 1 per cent and Bahrain edged up 0.1 per cent. Qatar’s index eased 0.1 per cent and Kuwait slipped 0.3 per cent. Weaker US jobs data has eased expectations of another Federal Reserve rate hike this month, supporting sentiment across the region, where most currencies are pegged to the dollar. Trading volumes remained moderate ahead of the earnings season.