By Mohd Edrees
Feb 20 (Reuters) - Stock markets in the United Arab Emirates declined on Friday as investors weighed growing geopolitical tensions after the U.S. said Iran will suffer if it does not agree a deal on its nuclear activity in a matter of days.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that "really bad things" would happen if Tehran does not come to an agreement to curtail its nuclear programme. Trump set a deadline of 10 to 15 days.
Abu Dhabi's benchmark index .FTFADGI slipped 0.3%, pressured by a 2.6% decline in real estate heavyweight Aldar Properties ALDAR.AD and a 1.4% decrease in Agility Global AGILITY.AD.
Aldar Properties said it had issued $1 billion in subordinated hybrid notes to Apollo Global Management APO.N through a private placement.
However, agro-food investor Invictus INVICTUS.AD jumped 1.6% after the firm recorded a 34% increase in its full-year profit to 225.9 million dirhams ($61.51 million).
Dubai's main market .DFMGI closed 0.3% lower; Dubai Islamic Bank DISB.DU fell 2.2% and top lender Emirates NBD Bank ENBD.DU dropped 0.7%.
Oil prices — a key catalyst for the Gulf's financial market — eased 0.4% to $71.38 a barrel after two sessions of gains.O/R
ABU DHABI | .FTFADGI fell 0.3% to 10,581points |
DUBAI | .DFMGI down 0.3% to 6,590 points |
($1 = 3.6726 UAE dirham)
(Reporting by Mohd Edrees in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)
((mohammad.edrees@thomsonreuters.com))