MIDEAST STOCKS-Gulf stocks slip on global trade worries; Saudi flat

DUBAI, March 7 (Reuters) - Gulf stock markets mostly openedlower on Wednesday, while Saudi stocks stayed flat, as fears ofa trade war weighed on global markets after the departure of afree trade advocate from the White House.

Qatar's stock market slipped 0.2 percent afterrebounding slightly on Tuesday following a two-month low the daybefore. Among the losers, Vodafone Qatar, was down2.9 percent and the third most traded stock on the index.

Saudi stocks traded roughly flat at 0.1 percent,buoyed by optimism on the overall market outlook despite theglobal slump.

"Investor sentiment (in Saudi Arabia) is improving on theback of oil price stability, especially that petrochemicalstocks represent 25 percent of trading volume," said Mazen alSudairi, head of research at Rajhi Capital.

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) rose0.2 percent.

Asian stocks and European futures opened lower on Wednesdayfollowing the resignation of White House economic adviser GaryCohn, who had lost a battle on tariffs against protectionistforces within the Trump administration.

Abu Dhabi stocks dropped 0.2 percent and Dubaistocks were down 0.7 percent, following a month of dropson weak sentiment.(Reporting by Katie Paul and Marwa Rashad; Editing by SaeedAzhar)