Stocks in the United Arab Emirates rallied on Tuesday, buoyed by prospects of a de-escalation between the US and Iran.
At the close of trading, the FTSE ADX General Index gained 0.347%, while the DFM General Index was 0.278% in the green.
The US Central Command completed its 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, with US President Donald Trump stating in a social media post that the Middle Eastern country will pay "many times over" for the death of American soldiers. However, investors breathed a sigh of relief on news of a 10-day ceasefire proposed by mediators to resume negotiations between the two countries.
Oil prices rose and were trading at nearly $90.567 per barrel at 3:40 pm UAE time after Yemen's Houthis threatened a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, posing further risks of disruption in energy supplies.
"With the Gulf's primary maritime outlet largely closed, the market is increasingly dependent on Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline and Red Sea terminals to maintain export flows. Any disruption at Bab el-Mandeb would therefore threaten not only Saudi shipments but one of the few remaining routes capable of compensating for the severe reduction in Hormuz traffic," Rystad Energy senior vice president and head of geopolitical analysis Jorge Leon commented. "If a ceasefire does not materialize and Hormuz remains largely closed while the Houthi threat to Red Sea shipping intensifies, the risk of a significant rebound in oil prices would be substantial."
Turning to the region's corporate side, Aldar Properties (ADX:ALDAR) launched its new 592-apartment residential community named The Canopies on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Shares of the real estate developer closed the session 0.53% higher.
Meanwhile in Dubai, Emirates Central Cooling Systems (DFM:EMPOWER), d/b/a Empower, awarded a contract for the development of a new district cooling plant in the Al Sufouh 2 area in Dubai. The Dubai-listed cooling services company's shares were 0.62% in the green at the time of closing.