All Gulf markets edged lower Monday, except Abu Dhabi, on lingering investor concerns about slowing global growth but declines were stymied after the European Central Bank said it was buying bonds of euro zone strugglers Italy and Spain. The Saudi stock benchmark Tadawul All Share Index ended 0.33 percent lower to 6,057.79 points, after recovering slightly Sunday, following its drop to a five-month low Saturday on a US downgrade. The US rating downgrade by Standard & Poor's sent regional bourses to lows of at least several months on Sunday, with an uncertain debt situation in Europe weighing. "The downgrade is not a major issue for US, it can survive with such a rating but the bigger issue is the outlook on global growth," said Marwan Shurrab, vice-president and chief trader at Gulfmena Investments in Dubai. "The GDP numbers in the last week show slowness in growth and the recovery is not going as expected," he added. Elsewhere in the region, Dubai index declined 0.8 percent to 1,473 points. Abu Dhabi benchmark rose 0.4 percent to 2,613 points. Qatar index retreated 0.8 percent to 8,215 points. Oman benchmark fell 0.8 percent to 5,605 points. Kuwait measure eased 0.2 percent to 5,956 points. Bahrain index slipped 0.2 percent to 1,275 points.
