LONDON (MarketWatch)

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Stocks in Saudi Arabia fell sharply once again Wednesday, with the benchmark TASI index dropping 5% to 5,262.04 in intraday trading. The index has lost more than 20% so far this year, as investors have been spooked by the spread of political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa. Elsewhere in the region, Dubai's DFM stock index sank 3.5% to 1,374.43.