AME Info, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Business Briefs Column.

Jul. 25--US TROOP MOVEMENTS DEPRESS KSE: Reports of an increase in US troop movements in Kuwait have scared local stock market investors. On Wednesday the Kuwait Stock Exchange closed down 2.5 per cent at 2,233.1 points. This followed a 1.1 per cent drop on Tuesday after a story from Reuters about the United States speeding up completion of a military base in southern Kuwait.

NBO PROFITS SLIDE TO USD15 MILLION: The National Bank of Oman has posted a 2.3 per cent fall in profit to USD15 million for the first six months of 2002, due to a near doubling of provisions. But o