<p>Jan 22 (Reuters) - Major stock markets in the Gulf rose in early trade on Thursday, in line with global shares, after U.S. President Donald Trump backed away from imposing tariffs on eight European countries, lifting global investor sentiment. Trump’s tariff threats, floated as leverage to seize Greenland,  had fueled tensions and kept markets jittery this week, leading investors to treat the latest turn of events with some caution even as a sense of relief was evident. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS)  rose around 1%. Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index  (.TASI)  gained 0.7%, with Al Rajhi Bank   (1120.SE)  rising 1.7% and the country’s biggest lender Saudi National Bank  (1180.SE)  adding 0.7%. The kingdom’s crude oil exports hit their highest level in more than two-and-a-half years in November, data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative showed on Wednesday. Dubai’s main share index  (.DFMGI)  advanced 1%, with blue-chip developer Emaar Properties   (EMAR.DU)  climbing 1.4%. In Abu Dhabi, the index  (.FTFADGI)  was up 0.7%. The Qatari index  (.QSI)  rose 0.5%, led by a 1.8% rise in Qatar Islamic Bank   (QISB.QA) .</p>

MIDEAST STOCKS-Major Gulf markets track global shares higher