May 16 Reuters Most stock markets in the Gulf ended lower on Tuesday as traders assessed lower oil prices and concerns over the U.S. government39;s debtceiling negotiations.

Saudi Arabia39;s benchmark index dropped 0.2, hit by a 2.1 decline in oil giant Saudi Aramco.

Oil futures steadied as support from a higher forecast for global demand from the International Energy Agency IEA was countered by weakerthanexpected Chinese economic data.

In another bullish factor, the U.S. Department of Energy on Monday said it would buy 3 million barrels of crude oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for delivery in August.

Dubai39;s main share index retreated 0.5, falling for a fourth consecutive session, weighed down by a 3.2 slide in Tecom Group.

The Dubai stock market extended its losses following some mitigated company earnings today and as global sentiment tilts toward caution, said Ahmed Negm, Head of Market Research MENA at XS.com.

The main index veered away from its uptrend direction and could be exposed to more price corrections if traders continue to sell.

In Abu Dhabi, the index bucked the trend to close 0.1 higher.

The Qatari benchmark eased 0.1.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Republican House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday prepared for critical debtceiling talks, with a little more than two weeks to go before the U.S. government could run short of money to pay its bills.

A firstever U.S. default would plunge the country into recession and…