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Inform technique with evidence: Usage independent information on market confidence, growth, and customer demand to assist your tactical direction. Confirm financial investment strategies: Ensure resource allowance and efforts are backed by reputable market insight. Accelerate positive choices: Equip members of your executive group with clear, actionable insight to reach arrangement rapidly and take definitive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA between the GCC and the UK is a Major Strategic Chance to Elevate Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Declaration on Economic Cooperation In Between the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)," May 2025 3 IMEC, "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Passage (IMEC) Development Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA program reinforces worldwide financial ties with 26 tactical arrangements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign complimentary trade pact 'very soon'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA plans to a minimum of double annual US financial investments over next years," May 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE financial investments in Africa position country as world's fourth-largest financier," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Truth Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards across Africa are getting in a specifying cycle. Capital is tighter. Scrutiny is greater. Risk is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will significantly figure out which organisations sustain development and which fall back. In action, Climb Club, an exposure launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level women, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is releasing a brand-new regular monthly conference room dialogue convening accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and corporate management and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session unites board professionals to examine the real pressures forming board agendas today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Risks and Priorities Forming 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Progressing regulative and governance expectations Technology interruption and cyber resilience Long-term value development and sustainability imperatives Leadership decisions boards must prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent members and speakers consist of: Mediator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Handling Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.
Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is a convening of executives contributing directly to governance, risk oversight, and strategic direction within their organisations. Through this collaboration, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are intentionally creating a recurring forum that surface areas board-level insight, enhances credible female governance voices, and broadens access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
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The GCC ETF market gone into Q1 2026 in a consolidation stage, with activity remaining raised but development slowing down. Total properties held broadly stable over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a response to geopolitical news instead of a significant brand-new capital implementation. International macro conditions set a tough backdrop.
The GCC ETF universe made up 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Efficiency throughout the marketplace was broadly negative, with just 13 ETFs providing favorable returns compared to 26 in decrease. In general, the data reflects a market that is active however narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a little subset of products.
Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, rather than broad market strength. The leading ETFs were focused in specific country direct exposures and commodities, particularly Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were durable throughout the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil exposure supported its local market, with Aramco reaching new highs amid higher oil prices, along with its continued ability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which stays open.
Egypt delivered strong performance in January and February. Regardless of a market pullback in March due to the war, both Egypt's market and its ETFs still posted favorable returns for the quarter. The ongoing Middle East dispute and resulting energy shock have actually reshaped the outlook for emerging market equities between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector likewise faced more comprehensive macro headwinds, consisting of a more cautious policy background in China and international risk-off belief driven by geopolitical stress and higher energy costs. Thematic ETFs also had a hard time for the many part, especially those linked to carbon and high-growth innovation, as assessment pressures and international rate dynamics weighed on performance.
Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and highly concentrated, reflecting selective allocation rather than broad market involvement. Regardless of weak efficiency, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a little number of items bring in brand-new capital.
Trading activity stayed steady, with typical 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. The majority of activity appears to have actually occurred in the secondary market, enabling investors to adjust positions without substantial main creations or redemptions. While recent geopolitical occasions have actually resulted in more monetary pressure on GCC nations, the region stays resilient and well capitalized to deal with the circumstance.
In January, Boreas released its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, adding a specific niche thematic direct exposure focused on worldwide luxury and customer brands. Momentum continued into April with the approval of KraneShares AGIX and KWIN ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX. These funds are anticipated to release in April pending a last approval from ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some development connecting to ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more worldwide and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the dispute has actually affected sentiment and rates throughout the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in local properties.
Regardless of ongoing geopolitical tensions and security risks across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to demonstrate durability, preserving positive development momentum in the last few years. While conflicts in the larger area and global economic unpredictability remain a structural restriction, GCC countries have actually up until now limited their effect on domestic financial performance through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and sustained financial investment.
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