By Ateeq Shariff

(Reuters) – Most stock markets in the Gulf rose on Tuesday as markets waited for early indications of the outcome of a knife-edge U.S. election.

Election Day ends an acrimonious campaign jolted by assassination attempts on Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump and the withdrawal of Democratic President Joe Biden in favour of Vice President Kamala Harris, with polls showing the candidates virtually tied.

Dubai’s main share index rose 0.2%, with Emirates Integrated Telecommunications up 2% and budget airliner Air Arabia gaining 1.1%.

In Abu Dhabi, the index added 0.6%, led by a 6.7% gain for Alpha Dhabi Holding.

ADNOC Drilling Company and Alpha Dhabi Holding announced on Monday that their joint venture Enersol had agreed to acquire a 95% equity stake in Deep Well Services (DWS) for about $223 million including performance-based payments.

Shares of ADNOC Drilling were up 2.3%.

The Qatari index finished 0.2% higher, with Qatar Gas Transport Nakilat rising 1.5%.

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index edged 0.2% lower, hit by a 1.5% fall in ACWA Power Company.

Oil giant Saudi Aramco reversed early losses to close 0.2% higher, despite reporting a 15.4% drop in third-quarter profit due to lower crude prices and weaker refining margins. It maintained its dividend at $31.1 billion for the quarter.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt’s blue-chip index rose 0.5%.

SAUDI ARABIA fell 0.2% to 12,015

ABU DHABI rose 0.6% to 9,384

DUBAI added 0.2% to 4,595

QATAR gained 0.2% to 10,569

EGYPT up 0.5% to 30,794

BAHRAIN closed flat at 2,019

OMAN was up 0.1% to 4,722

KUWAIT gained 0.2% to 7,667

(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

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