Aug 4 (Reuters) - Major Gulf stock markets rose in early Tuesday trading as investors assessed conflicting signals over possible U.S.-Iran talks, while upbeat corporate earnings provided additional support.
Most markets in the region had risen in the previous session after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he was postponing further strikes on Iran, while talks aimed at ending the conflict and resolving issues surrounding control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz continued.
But Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, on Monday dismissed Trump's assertion, saying no negotiations with Washington were underway and that no meetings had been planned.
Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI), rose 0.4%, with Saudi Arabian Mining Company (1211.SE), gaining 1.9%.
Elsewhere, oil major Saudi Aramco (2222.SE), added 0.4% after reporting a 44% increase in second-quarter net profit.
The world's top oil exporter posted net profit of $32.69 billion in the three months ended June 30, compared with $22.67 billion a year earlier.
Front-month Brent futures LCOc1, rose $1.02, or 1.2%, to $84.79 a barrel by 0632 GMT, after dropping 7% in the previous session to a three-week low.
Dubai's main share index (.DFMGI), advanced 0.8%, with blue-chip developer Emaar Properties (EMAR.DU), jumping 3.1%.
In Abu Dhabi, the index (.FTFADGI), gained 0.7%, with Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB.AD), climbing 3.8%.
Shipping traffic through the strategic Bab el-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz remained largely unchanged at the start of the week, according to shipping data, as uncertainty persisted over the status of U.S.-Iran talks.
The Qatari index (.QSI), was up 0.1%, helped by a 0.4% rise in Qatar Islamic Bank (QISB.QA), opens new tab.
Among other gainers, Qatar Navigation (QNNC.QA), increased 1.1% after reporting a rise in first-half profit.
Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by David Holmes
