Amman - Arab stock markets suffered heavy losses this week as gloom engulfed the region amid fears of a global recession.

Thursday's suspension of trading on the Kuwait stock exchange appeared to send a negative message to other markets in the region, financial analysts said Friday.

"I believe the halting of trading in Kuwait by a judicial decision could aggravate the situation not only in Kuwait but also at other Gulf and Arab stock markets," a portfolio manager told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Kuwait City - ­ Kuwait halted trading in its stock exchange on Thursday after traders demanded action to stop major losses, the country's trade minister and its state news agency said.

The halt in trading came after a court order on Thursday.

Minister of Trade and Industry Ahmad Baqer told Al-Arabiya TV that trading could resume on Sunday.

The station showed footage of traders protesting at the stock exchange.

Kuwait - The oil-rich Gulf state of Kuwait halted its share trading by a court order on Thursday after significant losses on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE), Kuwait news agency KUNA reported.

The court decision came to prevent further losses among traders, after the KSE price index fell to 8,691 points on Thursday, a drop of 160.1 points.

Director of KSE Saleh al-Falah was informed of the court's decision early Thursday, he said that the suspension will continue until November 17, KUNA reported.

Budapest - A Kuwaiti diplomat was attacked inside his home, locked in the cellar and robbed by two masked men earlier this week, the Hungarian agency MTI reported Thursday.

Kuwait - A major fire that broke out on Wednesday morning in an oil refinery in Kuwait is now under contro

Manila - The Philippines and Kuwait on Friday signed three agreements aimed at boosting cooperation between the two countries on health, energy and tourism.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and visiting Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammed al-Ahmed al-Haber al-Sabah witnessed the signing of the agreements.

A Philippine government statement said the agreement on health was expected to facilitate and enhance the sharing of expertise in improving the quality of health-related services in both countries.

The energy cooperation agreement is to pave the way for joint projects as well as enhance training of gas technical personnel and foster private sector cooperation, the statement added.