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Notify method with evidence: Usage independent information on market self-confidence, growth, and customer need to guide your tactical instructions. Verify financial investment strategies: Guarantee resource allotment and efforts are backed by credible market insight. Speed up positive choices: Equip members of your executive group with clear, actionable insight to reach agreement quickly and take decisive action.

1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA in between the GCC and the UK is a Significant Strategic Chance to Raise Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Declaration on Economic Cooperation Between the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)," Might 2025 3 IMEC, "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Development Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA program reinforces global financial ties with 26 tactical contracts," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign open market pact 'soon'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA prepares to at least double annual US financial investments over next years," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE investments in Africa position nation as world's fourth-largest investor," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Truth Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards throughout Africa are getting in a defining cycle. Capital is tighter. Scrutiny is greater. Danger is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will progressively identify which organisations sustain development and which fall behind. In response, Climb Club, an exposure launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level ladies, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is launching a new month-to-month boardroom discussion assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the highest levels of governance and corporate leadership and who are members of Ascent Club.
This inaugural session unites board professionals to analyze the real pressures shaping board agendas today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Risks and Concerns Shaping 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Developing regulatory and governance expectations Innovation interruption and cyber resilience Long-lasting worth creation and sustainability imperatives Leadership choices boards need to prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent members and speakers consist of: Moderator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Managing Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.

Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is an assembling of executives contributing straight to governance, threat oversight, and strategic instructions within their organisations. Through this collaboration, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are intentionally developing a repeating online forum that surfaces board-level insight, enhances trustworthy female governance voices, and broadens access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
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 provided straight to your inbox. Join Everest Group's newsletter to stay at the leading edge of what's next.
The GCC ETF market gotten in Q1 2026 in a debt consolidation phase, with activity staying raised however development slowing. Overall properties held broadly constant over the quarter, while trading levels indicated continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a significant new capital implementation. Worldwide macro conditions set a challenging background.
The outcome was a quarter defined by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, rather than a clear directional trend. Oil associated assets succeeded for the many part. On the favorable side, in January, the Boreas Outright Luxury ETF introduced on ADX to add more thematic ETFs. In Q1, two more Kraneshares have been approved for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and are about to be approved by the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange (ADX). The GCC ETF universe consisted of 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Performance across the market was broadly unfavorable, with only 13 ETFs providing favorable returns compared to 26 in decrease. Overall, the data shows a market that is active but narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a small subset of items.
Efficiency in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, rather than broad market strength. The leading ETFs were focused in specific nation direct exposures and products, especially Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Nations like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were resilient during the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil direct exposure supported its regional market, with Aramco reaching brand-new highs amid higher oil prices, in addition to its continued ability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which remains open.
Egypt delivered strong performance in January and February. Despite 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 broader macro headwinds, including a more cautious policy backdrop in China and global risk-off belief driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy prices. Thematic ETFs also struggled for the many part, especially those connected to carbon and high-growth innovation, as appraisal pressures and global rate characteristics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF substantially surpassed. Flows in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely focused, showing selective allotment rather than broad market participation. In spite of weak efficiency, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a small number of products bring in brand-new capital. This indicates that investors were targeting specific direct exposures, while reducing or turning out of others.

Trading activity remained constant, 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 actually taken location in the secondary market, making it possible for financiers to change positions without significant primary creations or redemptions.
In January, Boreas released its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, including a specific niche thematic direct exposure focused on global high-end and customer brand names. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some progress relating to ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more worldwide and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the conflict has actually impacted belief and prices during the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in regional possessions.
How to Secure a Leading Edge in DubaiDespite ongoing geopolitical stress and security risks throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to show resilience, maintaining positive development momentum recently. While conflicts in the wider region and worldwide economic uncertainty remain a structural restriction, GCC nations have actually so far limited their effect on domestic economic performance through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and sustained financial investment.
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