Gulf stocks rout "temporary" -Dubai's Emaar chairman

DUBAI Jan 22 (Reuters) - Dubai's Emaar Properties EMAR.DU, the largest Arab real estate firm by market value whose shares plunged 6.15 percent on Tuesday, said a rout in Gulf Arab stock markets is temporary and led by foreigners.

"If there is an investor selling stocks because of problems, he has there in the United States, everybody will be affected but in my view that impact is temporary," Mohamed Alabbar, Emaar's chairman told Al Arabiya television.

"All fundamentals are in their best positions historically," Alabbar said.

Saudi stocks plunged a record 10 percent on Tuesday leading the biggest retreat in Arab benchmarks since a 2006 crash as investors, spooked by a U.S. economic downturn, dumped regional shares, bonds and currencies.

Dubai's index .DFMGI fell 6.21 percent, its biggest one-day loss since March 2006. Oman's benchmark .MSI sank 8.3 percent, Qatar's .QSI 7.8 percent and Abu Dhabi's 6.8 percent, in each case a record plunge. (Reporting by Inal Ersan; Editing by James Cordahi)