Qatar and Israel shares advanced, leading a rally in Middle East markets, after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke pledged to safeguard the recovery of the world’s biggest economy. Oil gained.

The QE Index climbed 0.5 percent, the most since Aug. 22, to 7,195.88 at the 12:30 p.m. close in Doha, led by Qatar Islamic Bank SAQ, the Gulf state’s biggest Islamic lender. The TA-25 Index rose 0.5 percent to 1,145.31 in Tel Aviv. Avner Oil Exploration LP surged 6.6 percent after partners at the Leviathan site approved plans for an offshore gas and oil prospect. The Bloomberg GCC 200 Index of Persian Gulf stocks increased 0.4 percent. [Read More]