Saudi Arabia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Telecoms & IT, Building & Construction and Hotels & Tourism sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Saudi Arabia, the Tadawul All Share gained 0.88% to hit a new 6-months high.

The best performers of the session on the Tadawul All Share were Tihama Advertising&Public Relations (TADAWUL:4070), which rose 8.09% or 1.46 points to trade at 19.50 at the close. Meanwhile, Savola Group (TADAWUL:2050) added 4.67% or 1.50 points to end at 33.60 and Etihad Etisalat Co (TADAWUL:7020) was up 4.45% or 2.00 points to 46.90 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Salama Cooperative Insurance Co (TADAWUL:8050), which fell 3.15% or 0.68 points to trade at 20.90 at the close. Al Sagr Co-operative Insurance Co (TADAWUL:8180) declined 2.93% or 0.52 points to end at 17.20 and Ash-Sharqiyah Development Company (TADAWUL:6060) was down 2.65% or 0.64 points to 23.52.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Saudi Arabia Stock Exchange by 182 to 78 and 21 ended unchanged.

Shares in Etihad Etisalat Co (TADAWUL:7020) rose to 5-year highs; up 4.45% or 2.00 to 46.90. Shares in Ash-Sharqiyah Development Company (TADAWUL:6060) fell to 5-year lows; falling 2.65% or 0.64 to 23.52.

Crude oil for June delivery was down 2.01% or 1.46 to $71.10 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in July fell 1.70% or 1.30 to hit $75.11 a barrel, while the June Gold Futures contract fell 0.78% or 15.95 to trade at $2,021.15 a troy ounce.

EUR/SAR was down 0.64% to 4.09, while USD/SAR unchanged 0.00% to 3.75.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.62% at 101.90.