DUBAI: Dubai developer Emaar Properties lifted the emirate's bourse on Sunday after announcing the price range for the initial public offer of its shopping

malls unit, while profit-taking in Egypt continued despite positive economic news.

The Dubai index rose 0.6 percent to 4,991 points as Emaar, the largest listed developer in the emirate, added 2.3 percent.

Abu Dhabi's bourse slipped 0.4 percent because of banking stocks. Union National Bank dropped 4.2 percent, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank fell 1.3 percent and National Bank of Abu Dhabi edged down 0.7 percent.

Qatar's main index climbed 0.1 percent to an all-time closing high of 14,109 points. Mobile phone operator Ooredoo was the main support, rising 1.4 percent to 132.50 riyals.

Saudi Arabia's main the Tadawul All-Share Index slipped 0.3 percent to 11,027 points amid a mixed performance by banks and petrochemicals. The benchmark has risen 13 percent since July 22 when the Kingdom's stock market regulator said it would open up the bourse to direct foreign investment early next year.

"I think the next catalyst for the Saudi market will be third-quarter earnings, which should start coming out in a few weeks," said Amer Khan, senior executive at Shuaa Asset Management in Dubai.

Egypt's bourse rose as much as 0.8 percent in early trade after the Cairo government said it would ask the International Monetary Fund for a long-delayed economic

assessment in the hope of improvingg the country's image before February investment conference.