Gulf stock markets were mixed in early trade on Sunday with two Dubai construction firms dropping after reporting first-quarter earnings.

Dubai's index fell 0.5 percent as Arabtec sank 2.0 percent after its first-quarter net loss narrowed to Dh46.4 million ($12.6 million) from Dh279.8 million a year earlier. Analysts polled by Reuters had on average forecast a loss of Dh123.6 million.

Drake & Scull slid 2.7 percent after reporting a 61 percent fall in profit to Dh9.8 million. EFG Hermes had forecast Dh20.1 million.

But Saudi Arabia's index climbed 0.4 percent as miner Ma'aden, expected to benefit from a drive to develop the industry in the kingdom's economic reform plan, jumped 6.5 percent.

Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) gained 1.4 percent after chief executive Ahmad Al-Ohali told Reuters that the firm would be open to reviving its aborted merger with Sahara Petrochemical or pursuing another target, but only once the kingdom had changed rules governing mergers and acquisitions. Sahara edged up 0.4 percent.

Abu Dhabi's index fell 0.7 percent as Aldar Properties lost 2.3 percent.

Qatar inched up 0.2 percent as drilling rig provider Gulf International Services jumped 8.5 percent.

In Oman, Renaissance Services climbed 3.2 percent after jumping its 10 percent daily limit on Thursday, when it said its subsidiary Topaz Energy and Marine were part of a consortium that won a contract to supply and operate 15 vessels for a company in Kazakhstan. Oman's stock index added 0.3 percent. - Reuters