To add the Saudi index

March 5 (Reuters) - The UAE stock markets declined in early trading on Thursday, extending losses from the previous session, which saw the markets reopen after a two-day trading suspension following an unprecedented barrage of missiles and drones targeting Iran at the start of the week.

The Saudi and Qatari markets bucked the general trend and recorded gains.

The closure resulted in a freeze on trading of billions of dollars in listed assets, as investors waited to see the extent of the damage from the attacks earlier in the week, which included the bombing of airports, ports, and residential areas in the two emirates.

The two exchanges stated that they would temporarily impose a limit on the decline in securities prices at five percent.

Tensions between the United States and Iran escalated on Wednesday after a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, killing at least 80, and NATO air defenses shot down an Iranian ballistic missile headed toward Turkey.

The Dubai index fell by more than four percent, with most listed stocks declining, pressured by a 4.9 percent drop in shares of Emirates NBD and Emaar Properties. Air Arabia shares also fell by 4.9 percent.

But shares of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) rose 4.4 percent.

The Abu Dhabi index fell 2.3 percent. Shares of First Abu Dhabi Bank dropped 4.9 percent, Aldar Properties and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank each fell 5 percent.

The Qatari index bucked the general trend and rose 1.3 percent, with shares of Qatar National Bank, the largest bank in the Gulf region and home to China's Yitcai, climbing 1.7 percent.

Qatar, the largest producer of liquefied natural gas in the Gulf region, declared force majeure on gas exports on Wednesday, and sources said a return to normal production levels could take at least a month.

The Saudi stock market index also rose by one percent in early trading, marking its third consecutive session of gains, with energy, information technology and industrial stocks leading the rally.

Shares in Saudi oil giant Aramco rose 2.5 percent, and shares in Al Moammar Information Systems jumped 10 percent after it struck a deal with AI firm Humin to design and build a data center.

Shares of ACWA Power and Dallah Healthcare rose 2.6 percent and 6 percent respectively after their annual net profits increased.

Oil prices rose by more than three percent, continuing their upward trend as concerns intensified about the impact of a prolonged disruption to supplies from the Middle East due to the war.