KUWAIT CITY: Kuwaiti stocks dived to a 19-month low yesterday on fears about the future of troubled investment companies in the emirate, but most other Gulf markets finished higher.

The Kuwait Stock Exchange Index, the second largest in the Arab world, shed 3.7 percent to 10,856.90 points to drop below the 11,000-point mark for the first time since May 2007.

In Saudi Arabia, the Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) climbed 1.4 percent to 6,345 points.

In Dubai, the worst-performing benchmark in the Gulf Arab region so far this year rose for a second day, climbing 2.95 percent to 3,310 points.

In Abu Dhabi, the index, which has fallen more than 24 percent this year, climbed 2.15 percent to 3,520 points.

Muscat’s main measure climbed 1.05 percent to 7,298 points, after three trading days of falls. The index in Qatar climbed 0.43 percent to 7,935 points, rising for a second trading day.

Bahrain’s main measure, which has fallen more than 15 percent this year, declined 0.48 percent to 2,317 points.