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Notify strategy with proof: Usage independent data on market confidence, growth, and customer demand to assist your tactical instructions. Validate investment strategies: Make sure resource allocation and efforts are backed by reliable market insight. Accelerate confident decisions: Gear up members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach arrangement rapidly and take decisive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA in between the GCC and the UK is a Major Strategic Opportunity 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 Corridor (IMEC) Development Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA program reinforces worldwide economic ties with 26 strategic agreements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign open market pact 'very quickly'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA plans to at least double yearly United States financial investments over next decade," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE investments in Africa position country as world's fourth-largest investor," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Reality Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards throughout Africa are entering a defining cycle. Capital is tighter. Analysis is greater. Threat is more interconnected. And the quality of conference room judgment will significantly identify which organisations sustain growth and which fall back. In response, Ascent Club, an exposure launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level women, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is launching a brand-new regular monthly boardroom discussion convening accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the highest levels of governance and business leadership and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session combines board practitioners to take a look at the real pressures shaping board programs today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Risks and Concerns Forming 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Developing regulatory and governance expectations Innovation interruption and cyber strength Long-term worth creation and sustainability imperatives Leadership choices boards should prioritise heading into 2026 Climb members and speakers consist of: Moderator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Handling Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.
Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is an assembling of executives contributing directly to governance, threat oversight, and strategic direction within their organisations. Through this partnership, Climb Club and BusinessDay are purposefully creating a recurring online forum that surface areas board-level insight, enhances reputable female governance voices, and broadens access to the tactical thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
4 March 2026 6:00 PM WAT Zoom Register to sign up with the conversation. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the newest insights, trends, and methods delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up with Everest Group's newsletter to remain at the leading edge of what's next.
The GCC ETF market gotten in Q1 2026 in a debt consolidation phase, with activity remaining elevated however growth slowing down. Overall properties held broadly stable over the quarter, while trading levels indicated continued rearranging and as a response to geopolitical news instead of a meaningful brand-new capital deployment. International macro conditions set a difficult background.
The result was a quarter defined by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, rather than a clear directional pattern. Oil associated assets did well for the most part. On the positive side, in January, the Boreas Absolute High-end ETF introduced on ADX to add more thematic ETFs. In Q1, two more Kraneshares have actually been authorized for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and are about to be authorized by the Abu Dhabi Stock Market (ADX). The GCC ETF universe consisted of 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Performance throughout the market was broadly unfavorable, with only 13 ETFs delivering positive returns compared to 26 in decline. In general, the data shows a market that is active but narrow, with capital and liquidity focused in a small subset of products.
Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of distinctive winners, instead of broad market strength. The leading ETFs were focused in specific nation direct exposures and commodities, particularly Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Nations like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were durable during the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil direct exposure supported its regional market, with Aramco reaching brand-new highs in the middle of higher oil costs, as well as its continued capability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which stays open.
Egypt delivered strong efficiency 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 conflict 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 mindful policy background in China and global risk-off belief driven by geopolitical stress and higher energy costs. Thematic ETFs also struggled for the a lot of part, especially those connected to carbon and high-growth innovation, as assessment pressures and global rate characteristics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF substantially outperformed. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and highly focused, showing selective allocation rather than broad market participation. In spite of weak efficiency, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a little number of items attracting brand-new capital. This indicates that financiers were targeting particular exposures, while decreasing or turning out of others.
Trading activity remained steady, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. A lot of activity appears to have taken location in the secondary market, allowing financiers to adjust positions without considerable primary productions or redemptions. While recent geopolitical events have actually resulted in more financial pressure on GCC countries, the area stays resilient and well capitalized to handle the scenario.
In January, Boreas released its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, including a niche thematic exposure concentrated on global luxury and customer brand names. 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 launch in April pending a final approval from ADX.
Q1 2026 revealed some progress connecting to ETFs in the GCC. We expect more global and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the dispute has impacted belief and prices throughout the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in local properties.
Regardless of ongoing geopolitical stress and security threats throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to demonstrate resilience, maintaining positive growth momentum in current years. While conflicts in the larger region and international financial uncertainty stay a structural restriction, GCC countries have actually up until now restricted their influence on domestic economic efficiency through strong financial positions, policy continuity, and sustained investment.
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